Do I Know You?
by dreaming4onewish
Summary: After an accident, Serena happens to forget everything, all memories of her past. With Darien as her doctor, perhaps there is some hope in her future. Yet, this moment may allow Darien to have a chance of changing everything.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. :(

A/N: So here is a crazy idea of mine. :P I haven't wrote anything in a while but yeah, hope everyone likes it! It's sad and I guess I might make this story a one-shot. :)

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><p>Darkness… Why did everything seem so dark? She hesitantly clawed at her surroundings, feeling a soft material under her trembling fingers. Something was definitely wrong…<p>

Where was she? Her eyes suddenly flew open, uncertainly scanning the area. The dark room was so unfamiliar that it nearly frightened her. She curled up into a ball, chewing her lower lip apprehensively.

She felt rather drowsy, yet her fear kept her alert. A soft beeping noise caught her attention and she threw her head toward the direction of the sound. What was it?

"You're awake."

She looked around until her eyes landed on him, a tall, handsome, young man. Something about him tugged at her, whether it was her mind or heart, she didn't know. She scrutinized his chiseled face, honing in on his midnight blue eyes, which were seemingly black. She could almost see a hint of coldness, perhaps a barrier blocking his inner most feelings.

"How're you feeling?" he asked mechanically. He narrowed his eyes as if he were searching through her soul.

"I… I don't know," she spoke slowly, unsure of her own answer. "Who are you?" She immediately regretted her words when she noticed him looking at her as if she should know who he was.

The words struck a chord in him and he tightened his grip on the pen and clipboard that he was holding in both of his hands. How could she not remember? She was _his meatball head, _the sun of his day, the moon of his night, the everlasting bundle of energy.

"Dr. Darien Shields." He waited for some type of recognition to spark through her cerulean eyes. Nothing... Nothing at all.

"Oh." She tried to search through her mind, hoping for a hint, a hint of what happened, a hint of where she was, a hint of anything. She stared blankly at the wall in front of her for a moment until back at him. Why did he look so pale? Did he know her?

"Who are you?" Darien managed to ask, pushing back a sickening feeling that was beginning to brew inside of him. _Could it be?_ It couldn't be… but somehow, he knew it had to be…

"I… I am…" she trailed off. Then, it hit her, like a car crash, so instantaneous that she could barely comprehend what was happening. That was the problem… She didn't know… She paled immensely. "I don't know," she murmured quietly.

"You-"

"I don't know," she repeated, her breath quickening. "I don't know, I don't know!" Her voice rose alarmingly, and she shook her head in disbelief. "I don't know!" Tears gushed out as she tightly clutched the blanket that covered her. "I don't know!" She was on the verge of becoming hysterical.

Darien immediately threw the objects out of his hand onto the table next to the bed and enveloped the fragile girl in his arms. "Shh, it's okay," he whispered soothingly, wishing that he could take away her pain, could help her remember.

She shook her head furiously. How could everything be okay? She couldn't remember! "No, it's not." She wanted to scream, yell, cry… But all she should do was stay limp in his warm arms that somehow calmed her slightly.

He pulled away unwillingly, his hands still on her shoulders while he searched her tear-filled eyes. It tore him to see her so desperate, so unlike herself. How could this happen to someone like her? "You're Serena. Serena Tsukino."

"Serena?" she echoed in a cracked voice. A name meant nothing when she did not know anything about herself. It had no meaning, no purpose. More tears threatened to spill and they came crashing down when his hands held onto hers so lovingly.

She wanted to know, understand everything, comprehend the situation, distinguish herself from the void.

But he understood completely, what she was going through, the thoughts rushing through her brain. He had suffered the same as a child, lost and lonely, scared and cold. No one was there beside him, nothing but himself. She was different though. She had him and he would be at her side for the rest of her life. He would guide her through the pain, the ache, the trauma.

"Do you know me?" She watched him, waiting for his answer, which could possibly be the solution to her current problem.

He froze, unsure if she would want to know. He was the one who teased her mercilessly, aggravated her until she saw red, and made her cry in agony. He felt guilty, wanting to take it all back. He never meant the teasing or the insincere, biting words. He had a hard time articulating his true feelings, yet still, it was no excuse for the way he treated her.

It was hard for him to admit that he loved her genuinely. He loved her. But could she even love him back.

A crazy thought shot up inside his head, an idea that could change his life forever. _We could be together_. He tightened his hold on her hands.

Maybe he had no right to do so at all… But maybe he didn't give a damn. He wanted to assuage his heart, her heart, her mind, his mind.

"Yes." He cracked a smile, making something inside her flutter.

She wasn't certain why she felt this way with him. It wasn't a bad feeling. It was a nice, calm, soothing feeling. She liked it. She liked him. She liked the way his hands held hers with assurance. She liked how she could actually see through his cold eyes a tiny glimpse of warmth, which appeared to be reserved for her and her only.

"How?"

He bit his tongue, debating if he should… The idea just seemed so inviting, appetizing. But it was wrong… Yet better than breaking the truth to her, the cold harsh reality which would not bring peace to her already tumultuous mind.

"I… I am…" He licked his dried lips and swallowed. "Your boyfriend."

It did seem plausible. It had to be. The look in his eyes, the feelings he ignited when he touched her ever so lightly, his kindness and patience for her reactions, his intimate touches.

He waited with bated breath, his heart beating thunderously in his ears. Was he convincing enough?

She nodded, accepting his response. She laughed so suddenly that it startled him. Maybe he thought of her as crazy, unstable, mental, but she knew that he would still love her. "It's funny how my boyfriend is my doctor." She laughed harder and then, she started crying again because she did not know anything about him. How could she be able to return all the love he was giving to her? It was so unfair how she could not mention anything about him.

"Everything will be all right." Darien hugged her once more, allowing her to sob into his white doctor's coat. With her in his arms, everything felt like it would turn out all right. There was hope.

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><p>AN: Thanks for reading! :) Don't know if I should continue and make this into a story, or just leave it off as it is. But anyways, thanks again!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hi again! :) I was thrilled to receive so many wonderful reviews! So I have to decided to continue on! :) As to the great questions left in a review by samxe, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask do not exist and the story will purely focus on Serena and Darien. And to figure out how Serena lost her memory, keep reading! ;) Thanks again for the lovely reviews! Hope everyone enjoys this chapter!

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><p>Darien had sat in the Crown Arcade, sipping a cup of black coffee. The bitter flavor reminded him of his guilty conscience. Yet, there was a slim chance that she would regain her memories. After being hit on her head while passing a construction site, it was luck that she managed to survive the damaging blow to her head. He rubbed his forehead.<p>

"Hey Darien."

Darien glanced up at the arcade owner, Andrew. Andrew happened to be his best friend since high school and always was friendly. "What's up?"

"It's more like what's up with you," Andrew replied curiously.

"Serena is in the hospital."

"Serena? The one that comes here?" Andrew stated in shock. Who would had thought she'd be the one in the hospital!

"Yeah. Her."

"Oh my god. What happened? Is she okay?" Andrew was worried for the young girl. She was like a little sister to him, a bubbly, lively girl.

"She…" Darien trailed off, uncertain that his voice might crack. "She happened to be walking by a construction site and a heavy piece of wood hit her head. She was merely an innocent girl in the wrong place at the wrong time. She didn't even see it coming."

Darien heaved in a deep breath. If he was there when that happened, his heart probably would've stopped. His heart nearly did stop when he was brought to her hospital room… "She lost her memory… She doesn't remember her own name." He remembered the distant look in her eyes, the fear. "She doesn't even remember… me."

"Poor Serena." Andrew whispered somberly, pausing for a second. "Surely she must've meant a lot to you, underneath all those silly arguments between you two?"

Darien blushed and nervously ran his hand through his silky, black hair. He should tell Andrew what had happened in the hospital, the "boyfriend" thing. "I uh… sorta told Serena… that I'm her… boyfriend." He finished lamely with a sheepish grin.

"You what!" Andrew almost fainted with surprise. What was with Darien and all these secrets? Well, he certainly knew Darien had some type of feelings for Serena. After all, Darien would tease her nonstop about anything, anything to get the chance to speak with her. "I don't think she will appreciate you lying to her. After all, she just lost her memory and she is probably dying to find out the truth."

"But," Darien protested, "Would she appreciate knowing what I did to her? How I made her feel when I teased her? How I made her angry, sad, upset, mad, completely apoplectic? No…" No, he told himself. It just would not do. That was why he told her that he was her boyfriend, to actually have a chance to love her right.

"The truth is always going to hurt, Darien. What if she finds out?"

"There's such a small chance that she will remember. Even I don't remember when that happened to me." Darien said, although it was more of a reassurance for himself than an answer to Andrew.

"I don't know. Just be careful."

Darien nodded and finished drinking up the now cold coffee. He had to get back to the hospital to see _her_.

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><p><em>Serena<em>. Who was Serena? The name Serena meant nothing. It did nothing. It was nothing. Nothing with value… It was just a name, a plain, boring name at that. It held no intrinsic importance.

She buried her head into the white, scratchy pillow and burst out crying. How was it even possible for her not to remember anything? Not even him! How was she supposed to live like this? Unable to know her past, what made her the way she was now? What had even happened!

She swallowed, choking on her tears. Who was she? Did she have a family? Did she have friends? Where did she come from? Where did she live? Did anyone care? Anyone worry?

She bit on her lower lip, feeling desolate and empty. She felt like a hollow shell, just an outside casing with nothing inside. She was vacant, no memories to provide her comfort, a sense of who she was and what she did.

A chill went down her spine as a thought entered her mind. _What if she wanted to forget on purpose?_

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><p>Darien took giant strides toward her room, wishing that he could arrive there faster. He wanted to see her, hold her, and comfort her. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, sighing in relief.<p>

His heart lurched when he spotted her staring off into space at the wall. Her face was blotched with red spots and dried flakes were crusted on her cheeks. Her eyes almost appeared lifeless and dull, which seemed so foreign to him. He was used to her having her eyes glimmering brightly with joy and love, yet now, they held no emotion.

"Serena?"

His voice managed to break her absentminded thoughts and she turned to face him.

"Darien?" She sounded so broken that it nearly broke his heart. "Who am I?"

He sat down on the edge of her bed and wrapped his arms around her, hoping that in his arms, she would find some solace. But did he ever mean anything to her in the first place?

"Serena. You are the most wonderful person I have ever known." He could feel water dribbling down his cheeks. "Funny, silly, cute, happy." His voice became hoarse and he tried to laugh to imagine happier times with her. "You are the light of anyone's day, but you are the biggest light in mine and forever will be."

She cried at his words for she would never know how she was even capable of being like that. Was it even possible? "Why can't I remember?" She felt so lost… yet, he was here to help her. He was her hope.

Darien swiped at the tears on his cheeks and smiled weakly at her. His conscious irked him, reminding him of how he was a liar and how he did not deserve her. No, it was going to be a start of something new and great. It was for the best.

"Do I even have a family? If so, where are they?"

"Serena, we have tried to contact your family but they are on vacation in the United States. We couldn't get a hold of them and it seems like they will be gone for a month more."

She sat there, unmoving. "What about friends?"

Darien pondered about who were her friends. There was definitely that nerdy girl, Amy, the priestess girl, Raye, a blonde named Mina, and a fierce brunette named Lita. Yet, if he mentioned them, they might tell Serena that he was not her boyfriend and that she detested him with all her heart. He shuddered at the thought of being caught in his lies.

"Uh… well, I'm sure you had a few at your school but you rarely hung out with them." He created another lie… Lies were just spewing out of his mouth like crumbs of food. He bit on his tongue, mentally cursing himself for digging into a bigger grave.

"Really? What school do I go to?"

"Crossroads High School. You're a sophomore."

She seemed to be soaking in the new information as she inspected him curiously. "How did we meet?"

"We met when you accidentally threw a crumpled test paper on my head." He had yet to find another way to twist the truth around… "I decided to tutor you to help you improve your grades."

_Great going._ He just shot his own foot again…

She accepted his answer, yet she wanted to know more. She wanted to know everything. She leaned into Darien's touch, feeling slightly calmer than before.

A knock came from the door and a nurse came into the room, a blush staining her cheeks when she spotted the two in an intimate embrace.

"Erm… there's a patient in room 102 who is due for a check up," the nurse spoke nervously.

"Thanks. I will be there in a minute."

The nurse left as quickly as she had come. Darien then reluctantly released Serena and stood from the bed. He turned to Serena, who looked petrified at the thought of being left alone again. "I will be back to visit soon." He patted her head and as he took one step away, she reached out and snatched his hand, bringing warmth to his heart.

"Don't leave me," she begged, unshed tears within her eyes.

Darien could hardly resist her plead and slowly sunk back onto the bed. He stroked her hair carefully, enjoying the way his fingers combed through her soft strands of gold. He told himself once more that he was doing this for the best. He wasn't exactly lying. He was preventing her from the pain.

Serena hugged him tightly as if she were to let him go, he'd disappear. She silently listened to his thumping heartbeat, which lulled her to sleep.

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><p>AN: Thanks so much for reading! :) I always love to hear your thoughts in a review! :D


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey everyone! **Thank** **you** so much for the great reviews! They really do inspire me to continue writing. And also, thank you for reading! :) Sorry that I take quite a while to update since I have finals coming up and I have to edit a film for one of my finals. But anyways, enjoy the chapter!

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><p>Serena awoke terrified, breathing heavily. She sat up abruptly and scanned the room desperately. She tried to concentrate in order to remember her dream. It was a dream. A dream consisting of a nightmare. It probably didn't matter much but she still wanted to remember it anyways.<p>

She recalled snippets from her dream. She was on top of a building somewhere in the darkness. She had heard a voice talking to her, calling her name. But she couldn't make out the voice, couldn't tell if the person was telling her something important. Despite her lack of vision and despite her disability to focus on the voice, she knew something was _wrong_.

And all of a sudden, she was falling with air angrily brushing against her skin. She didn't know how was it possible for her to fall without even moving or without even being pushed. She swiped her hands in hope of grabbing onto something to make the world stop, but everything whizzed by so quickly. She had felt dizzy and pain slammed into her head. It had hurt, a wave of pain so fierce that she almost lost consciousness. And then… she woke up.

It did not make any sense at all. But somehow, it felt real.

The room was brightly lit by the sunshine shining through the curtains. It was another day without her memory. Perhaps another day of emptiness...

_Where was Darien?_ She looked around, hoping that he was still there to hold her. To her great disappointment, no one was there. Well, what did she expect? For him to stay throughout the whole night while he still had to go to work the next day? She still felt sad since he was the only one to talk to her and provide her warm, loving hugs.

Carefully , she slipped out of the bed, her feet landing on the cold tile floor. She awkwardly stepped toward the door, wobbling unevenly. As she reached the door, she pulled it open to be greeted by a hallway that led to many more rooms, which she assumed to be other rooms for patients.

She walked cautiously down the hall and received strange stares from people. Whether they were visitors or nurses or patients, she didn't know nor did she care. She just kept on walking, wondering where was the exit. She wanted some fresh air to clear her anxious mind.

People began shouting and yelling and the sounds became louder and crisper. She glanced around and noticed there were people pushing a stretcher her way! She wanted to move and get out of the way, but her feet seemed glued to the floor. She barely had enough time to register what was happening when a body collided with hers, sending the person and her tumbling.

Serena let out a cry and flailed her arms, managing to clutch onto the person's green jacket. The person regained balance and her face smashed into the person's hard chest.

She blushed madly and staggered away, bowing her head. "I… I-"

The person pulled her back into a hug and spoke, "Good morning to you."

There was only one person who would have done that which made her realize the person was _her_ Darien. She relaxed, relieved that it was him to be her knight in shining armor.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Darien began to tug her in the direction of her room.

Her nightmare seemed to come back to haunt her at that moment. "I wanted some air to clear my mind." _Although there wasn't much in her mind in the first place…_

"Come with me," Darien grabbed her hand and led her to the empty elevator. He pushed the button to the highest floor and squeezed her hand affectionately. He noticed the pale hue to her cheeks and brought up his free hand to brush a stray strand of hair away from her face.

He gazed into her eyes, losing himself within those deep pools of blue. It made him wonder why he ever insulted her. Perhaps he could blame the dysfunctional muscles controlling his mouth, which had spouted out ideas that were completely opposite of his true thoughts. Yet now, he never had to worry about that problem anymore. She was _his_.

He dipped his head lower, brushing his lips against hers ever so lightly.

She felt shivers of excitement go down her spine while he placed his hands on her waist. She could almost taste something familiar at the back of her mind but she couldn't place it. She kissed him back, hoping to rekindle the same feeling that felt so recognizable… and so right. Though the instant his lips moved with hers, she could only focus on the dark coffee flavor from his mouth.

Darien unwillingly broke off the kiss for air. He didn't know kissing her would feel THAT amazing. It almost felt like he was floating on air with the light lips of an angel caressing his.

Serena chewed her lower lip shyly and glanced at the floor. "When am I to be discharged from the hospital?"

"So eager to leave me?" he joked as they stepped out of the elevator to the hallway, which they continued to walk down.

"N-no!" It wasn't that she wanted to leave him, she just wanted to be free. "I just want to understand myself. I want to find my friends, to search for my past, to be at rest."

See her friends? He couldn't possibly let her. They would rat him out and she would hate him forever. He shook his head from the horrid thoughts. "I don't think you will be able to be able to be discharged so soon. I need to keep an eye on your progress."

He felt his heart break when she appeared so dejected from his words. He really wanted to tell her the truth about being able to leave soon. _But_ could he risk his dream? His dream of being with her forever…

"But," Darien started, watching her face hopefully light up as bright as the sky. "I could let you stay at my place for the while being since I will be able to keep a close watch on you." Man, he was really going to be dead… Yet, he was rather lucky her parents were actually out of town.

"Oh really?" Serena almost burst with joy. It was the first time since the accident that she had actually felt _this_ happy. She was getting closer to finding herself. She jumped up and hugged him tightly.

He was glad and excited that he would be able to spend more time with her, but if her dad figured out, he was going to be shot down until there were a million holes through his corpse. "Yeah. I'm sure your parents won't mind. They like me."

It was quite comical that her parents didn't even know him yet he pretended they loved him. In fact, her dad despised all guys around his sweet daughter. How he knew this… well he could just say he had a handy resource who informed him quite well.

"But you must promise me that you won't leave my place until I confirm that you are healthy enough to be wandering about."

"I promise." She stuck out her hand, offering a pinky. "Pinky swear?"

Darien laughed at her childish antics and hooked his pinky with hers. "Pinky swear." He then pulled her with him up a staircase which led to a single door. He pushed the door open, taking her with him outside.

Serena inhaled deeply as a breeze caressed her. "It's beautiful." Here, she was standing on top of one of the tallest buildings, able to view the entire city. She felt at peace, calm and serene. For a moment, she could let her restless thoughts fade.

"Not as beautiful as you," Darien murmured under his breath, so quietly that she couldn't hear it. It was rather cliché for him to use that line, but it was his honest opinion. She was beautiful.

She squeezed his hand, silently watching from above. With him, it seemed like everything was going to be okay.

She leaned against him, slowly closing her eyes. She was close to dozing off until her stomach rumbled loudly, which Darien laughed at. She turned red and muttered, "I guess I'm hungry."

"Let's go get you some food." Darien tapped her nose and led her back downstairs to get her some breakfast.

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><p>"Have you heard from Serena?" Mina asked. Her hair was a white, yellowish blond, which was a couple shades lighter than Serena's hair. She wore her hair half up, pinned back by a giant red bow, the rest of her hair flowing down to her petite waist. She was quite attractive and could almost pass as Serena's twin sister, yet they were not related at all.<p>

"No. That's strange. Seems like none of us had seen her for a week." A girl with jet black hair replied anxiously. Her name was Raye and she helped out at the temple that her grandfather owned. She had a curvaceous body, which attracted many lustful men. However, her fiery personality kept people at a distance.

"I called her house but she didn't answer," came a meek response from another girl with blue hair. She was Amy, an intelligent sophomore who managed to skip a grade. She was shy and quiet, but when she had became friends with Serena, she had opened up and made more friends.

"Something's up with her. I just know it." Lita spoke. She was the tallest of the group and had the biggest build. She had brown hair, which she always tied up into a ponytail. She was rather intimidating to others, but she was kind and protective of her friends.

The girls were sitting in the Crown Arcade, a place where they would regularly meet and hang out. The Crown Arcade happened to be Serena's favorite place since it had tons of video games and food. Serena had introduced the Crown Arcade to the girls and since then, they would always meet up here.

Andrew walked up to their table, sensing their troubled thoughts. "Hey girls, what's up?"

"Have you seen Serena?" Mina asked, practically drooling at Andrew. She had to admit he was a hunk, everything a girl could dream of. He was handsome, charming, cute… The way his golden hair was hanging over his green eyes… And the list would go on…

Andrew fidgeted, unsure if he should tell them the truth. After all, he wanted to help his best friend, Darien. But then again… he didn't want to get involved in trouble. He sighed, knowing that Darien would be more than furious with his answer. He just did not want to lie to the girls. They were Serena's best friends. "She's at the hospital."

"What?" Raye yelped in surprise, her heart leaping out of her chest. "For what?"

Andrew hesitated slightly, feeling bad for Darien. "She got into an accident, but that's all I know."

The girls paled, worried for their best friend.

"We should visit her right away." Mina suggested and the girls stood in unison from their seats.

_Sorry Darien, but I can't be part of your scheme _thought Andrew. He did feel bad that Darien would be caught, but it was bound to happen sooner or later, right?

"Bye Andrew," the girls said at once before they ran out of the arcade, rushing to the hospital.

"Bye." Andrew felt guilty but it was the right choice.

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><p>AN: Darien is quite selfish, isn't he? Feeding Serena a bunch of lies. Anyways, will the girls find Darien with Serena? :) Keep reading to find out! And I really do appreciate reviews! ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: I'm baccckkkkk! :) For a few days, I was hit by the case of writer's block. Bleh. But today, I was hit with more ideas! So here is the final result! :) But before anyone reads the newest chapter, I would like to thank my reviewers for last chapter! A huge thanks to: **Jenbunny,** **NarutoCrazy001**, **xSapphirexRosesxFanx**, **CharmedSerenity3**, **Falling into the darkness**, **stephumz**, and **RoyalLovers1418. Thank you guys so much! **And also **thanks to all my readers!** :D Enjoy the chappie now!

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><p>Mina, Lita, Raye, and Amy rushed through the automatic doors of the hospital, running up to the front counter.<p>

"Excuse me, but is Serena Tsukino here?" Raye asked.

The woman at the counter replied, "Let me check." She began to search on the computer until she spotted Serena's name. "Oh, ladies, you're a bit late. Serena just checked out a few minutes ago."

"Huh?"

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><p>Serena stuck her hands out of the windows of Darien's red sleek sports car. She was thrilled. No. Overjoyed. Completely and utterly ecstatic. She glanced at her boyfriend, studying him meticulously. How she managed to snag a hunk like him was way beyond her. She wondered why he would possibly want to stay with her in the first place. She wasn't special. She had nothing left to give him, no memory of him at all. Tears almost filled her eyes but she pushed them back.<p>

Maybe he was lying… She laughed inwardly, shrugging it off. Why would he need to lie to her anyway? He was a smart man with a medical degree. Obviously, he could have any woman that he wanted but he chose her. What was special about her?

"What are you thinking about, meatball head?" Oops… He accidentally let her nickname slip.

Meatball head? For some reason, she found his nickname for her rather irking, yet endearing. It must've been a term of endearment… "Meatball head?"

Darien laughed carelessly. "It was my favorite nickname for you since you always wore your hair in a unique fashion with two buns on top of your head."

Serena smiled and brushed off her thoughts about him lying. He had to be her boyfriend to come up with a nickname like that. "Oh. I was just thinking about what I am going to do at your house."

"You can watch T.V. It was one of your favorite things to do." It was kind of creepy that he happened to know so much about her, yet she probably didn't even know that much about him even before the accident.

Darien parked the car and got out of the car. He then helped Serena out and began walking with her to his apartment complex. "I don't have much in my apartment, but you can make yourself at home."

"Thanks, Darien."

The couple walked in silence to the apartment and went into the elevator. Soon they were at Darien's apartment room and he was unlocking the door.

Serena stepped into the room with awe. His room was huge! And completely immaculate! Were all rooms this neat? When he said there wasn't much in his apartment, she hadn't expected his apartment to be this empty. There were a few pieces of dark furniture here and there, but overall, there wasn't much.

"Wow," she breathed. "Your apartment is huge."

"Yeah. Want anything to eat? I don't have much food either but I can call up the local pizza shop." Darien loosened the tie around his neck, unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt.

"Pizza? Sure!" Serena had found her love for food while she went to the cafeteria in the hospital. She just couldn't stop eating! The food was so delicious. She then sat on his couch, her eyes still roving his room.

"Let me call them and you can watch T.V. while I'm doing that." Darien picked up the T.V. switch and flicked on the T.V. before handing her the switch. He then grabbed the phone and punched in the numbers to the pizza shop. He then ordered one large pepperoni pizza before he sat down next to Serena.

"… news report on the CC construction accident last week. Whether a lawsuit will be-"

Darien nervously grabbed the T.V. switch out of Serena's hands and flipped the channel to cartoons. "You like cartoons a lot." She was so close to finding out what had happened… He wouldn't know what to do if she did.

Serena scooted closer to Darien subconsciously as she watched the lights of the T.V. flicker. Was it just her or did he purposely switch the channel? No, he had nothing to hide from her so why did she have to worry? She ignored her thoughts and focused on the cartoons on the T.V., which was quite amusing.

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><p>After Serena had eaten and fallen asleep, Darien quietly left his apartment to go to a nearby department store, but not before he stopped off at the arcade. He needed to talk to Andrew.<p>

The moment Darien stepped into the Crown Arcade, he spotted Andrew sulking. "Hey Andrew."

Andrew glanced up guiltily, prepared to defend himself. "I didn't mean to tell them!"

"What are you talking about?" Darien eyed Andrew suspiciously.

"You know? Serena's friends?" Andrew replied confusedly. Wasn't Darien mad that the girls came by?

"What did you tell them?" Suddenly, Darien seemed dangerous, almost threatening, his eyes darkening. Although he was definitely angry, he did not want Serena's friends to interrupt something they could not possibly understand.

"I just told them that Serena was in the hospital. Nothing else."

Darien let out a sigh of relief. For a second, he thought that Andrew told the girls that he had lied to Serena, pretending to be her boyfriend. He then laughed and patted Andrew on his shoulder. "Thanks man for not telling them about the whole 'boyfriend' thing."

Andrew was relieved that Darien had taken the whole situation so well. "No problem?" Andrew paused thoughtfully. " So you don't care that they went to find Serena?"

"Well not exactly… It will make more sense after I ask you one more favor."

Andrew was hesitant to do one more favor for Darien. He almost felt like jumping out of his skin when the girls asked him about Serena. He wasn't sure if he could handle just one more thing… "What is it?"

" Serena is living in my apartment. I was just wondering if you could help me get some things for her."

Serena? Living with Darien? Andrew unwillingly agreed. "All right. But you owe me big time and no funny business with Serena."

"I know, I know." Darien raised his hands in defeat. "I'll help you close up the Crown tonight."

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><p>Darien and Andrew went to a nearby shopping department, looking for necessities for Serena.<p>

"What do you think of this?" Darien picked up a giant, fluffy, pink stuffed bunny.

"I'm sure Serena will love it."

Darien placed the bunny into the shopping cart with a grin on his face. He couldn't wait to see Serena's reaction to all the things he was going to buy her. So far in the shopping cart, there was: a couple girly outfits, undergarments, the bunny, some manga, junk food, a hair comb, and a pink toothbrush.

"Do you think she needs anything else?" Darien furrowed his brows in thought.

"Doesn't she need, um, you know…" Andrew lowered his voice to a whisper and used his fingers to gesture quotes, "Those 'things' ?"

"What 'things'?"

"Those 'things' that every girl needs?"

"Huh?" Darien shot Andrew a confused look.

"The special 'thing' that happens every month?" Andrew rolled his eyes in exasperation. Darien should know of course! Since he was a doctor…

Darien just blankly stared back for a moment. "Wha'?"

"She has a freakin' period!" Andrew shouted, slapping his forehead. He couldn't believe how slow Darien was.

Customers around them started to stare and Andrew blushed, realizing he spoke a bit too loud.

"Ooh, those 'things'." Darien nodded dumbly, also blushing from the unwanted attention. "Let's go get some."

So here were two grown men, standing in the feminine care aisle of the store, receiving even more strange stares.

"So which one do you think she uses?" Darien glanced at all the different brands and types.

"How should I know?"

"You have a sister."

"Oh jeez, wouldn't it be a little strange for me to be calling up my little sister at 9:00 P.M., asking her about what type of tampons or pads does she use?"

Darien returned a pleading stare. "Please?"

"Fine." Andrew flipped out his cell phone and walked away from the aisle to make his phone call.

Darien, on the other hand, continued to browse at the selections. He suddenly looked at a girl next to him, who was also looking at the 'female things'. She appeared to be around Serena's age and had thick, wavy, brown hair.

"Hey, do you know which one is better?"

The girl looked at him as if he were growing another head.

"It's for my girlfriend," he added hastily. He probably appeared to be a creep in front of this girl, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to have everything prepared for Serena.

"That's sweet," the girl crooned dreamily, wishing that her future boyfriend would do the same. "I usually just get this one." She grabbed a pack and handed it to him. "But she'll also need a thinner one for the last two or three days." She grabbed another package, giving it to Darien. "Also, she might need a longer one for the night time." Another package was piled into Darien's arms.

"Oh, okay." Darien inspected the items in his arms. "Thanks."

"Good luck with your girlfriend." She grabbed a pack for herself and sauntered away.

"Hey man. So my sister said—hey, since when do you know how to pick out those 'things'?" Andrew arched a brow upward curiously.

"I just asked a girl."

"So much for calling my sister." Andrew shook his head. His sister began interrogating him when he asked her about those 'things'. 'Why you wanna know?' and 'Since when did you have a girlfriend, Drew?' Man, he had to explain to her that it was for Darien's girlfriend. And then his sister began to question when Darien started dating.

"So that's all she needs?"

"You're forgetting those other 'things'."

"What now?" Darien just wanted to drop dead and fall asleep on the ground already.

"I'm just kidding." Andrew laughed and they walked to the cash register, only to receive another weird stare. This was one long night...

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><p><strong>AN**: Hehe. :) Thanks again for reading! Reviews are always welcome. ;)


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Heya guys! :) Finally a new chapter, right? So recently, I have been just plan old lazy. Just graduated from high school, had an awesome grad night, and started summer school (blech! gross.). I am happy that I am no longer a high schooler and now I am a college student! WOOT. Enough about me! And let's hear a shoutout to my reviewers from last chappie. :D A **big** thanks to: **CharmedSerenity3**, **Illusina**, **Jenbunny**, **patito**, **xSapphirexRosesxFanx**, **TropicalRemix**, **SerentiyMoonGodness**, **mayilu**, **lizsuki**, and **stephumz. **Without their support, I probably wouldn't be writing more. :P And thanks to all my readers who are still keeping up with this story! New chapter here we are. ;)

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><p>Darien opened the door of the guest bedroom to see a frown plastered onto Serena's adorable face while she sat on the edge of the bed. That instant, his heart stopped beating.<p>

_She knows… She remembers everything… It was over. They were over._

She wore a pink floral dress, which he had purchased for her last night. It was rather simple, yet he thought she might like it.

But she was not happy. She was displeased. She didn't look particularly sad. She looked more like she was irritated, upset, and filled with anxiety.

No, he did not regret doing this. No, not one moment did he ever regret. Just being with her for a few days were the best days of his life. And all he could think about was how beautiful she was, even when she was upset with him.

She arose from the bed, stopping in front of him with her frown deepening.

Was she going to yell at him? Slap him? Well if she did, it would be deserved. He wasn't exactly honest with her.

She silently stood before him, appearing as if she wanted to say something.

She bit her lower lip apprehensively, not wanting to speak yet at the same time, feeling the urge to tell him.

Darien waited nervously, uncertain what to do. Should he apologize? Should he beg for forgiveness?

But he wasn't sorry. He could never be sorry for the most blissful days he had ever had.

They stared at each other, wordlessly, almost as if each of their eyes were boring into the other's soul. They watched closely… intensely. Darien then became aware of their proximity; she was only a few centimeters away.

"Why, Darien? Why did you do this?"

He couldn't tell if she was angry at him or not. He glanced at the floor beneath his feet, unsure how to phrase 'it'. He looked back at her, searchingly into her eyes. Maybe she wasn't angry at him? Maybe she wasn't angry… at all?

"I don't know… I just don't know." Darien whispered sadly, his breath ghosting across her forehead. They were so close that he could feel her shiver against him.

She suddenly felt really guilty, horrible for making him so sad. He looked as if he were a kicked puppy. She didn't want him to be sad. She wanted him to be happy and loving as always. She wanted him to hold her and for her to be able to wrap her arms around him.

"This is too much." She glanced down at her feet, almost as if finding her wriggling toes interesting.

"I'm… I'm sorry." He didn't know exactly what he was apologizing for; lying, deceiving her, or was he just sorry for being caught?

She gazed into his eyes and caught a glimpse of something unrecognizable, something that seemed so out of place... She couldn't tell what it was but it frightened her. And somehow he looked even more unhappy now.

Of course he was too much. He lied to her on many occasions, pretended to be her boyfriend, then took advantage of the situation by kissing her. But the truth was… it couldn't mean anything _less_. She was the world to him. She was the air he needed to breathe in everyday. She was the heart to his body. She. Was. Everything.

"I'm so sorry." Darien said with a trace of exhaustion in his voice. He just wanted to be with her and nothing else.

"No!" Serena exclaimed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

He blinked with stupefaction, not believing what his ears have heard.

She quickly reached for his hand, holding it in between her two hands. "I-I just thought you bought too many dresses an-and I… never mind..."

She continued to speak but Darien wasn't listening anymore. The only thing he had understood at that moment was that she did not remember and she did not know. And to think that she was talking about remembering when she was only talking about the clothing…

He unconsciously squeezed her hand and she stopped talking.

He still had her. He just couldn't explain how happy he felt. Although, it was still a problem… He was lying to her, making her believe in this dream, this alternate reality…

Serena watched the emotions change in his eyes, the change puzzling her. A trace of a smile flickered across his face and before she knew it, she was swooped into his arms with him staring deeply into her eyes.

She instinctively leaned into his embrace, yet trying to comprehend what was happening. She could not bring herself to tear her eyes away from his eyes, and each second she looked at him, the more hopeless she felt… Hopeless? No, not hopeless. Serene. Happy. Hopelessly happy.

"I…" Serena desperately tried to break the silence, break away from his intoxicating scent, break away before she would forget everything… "I-"

He grinned, finding her incapability to speak rather cute. "I wanted to buy you all those dresses since I know you'd look beautiful in them."

She turned red but she dared not to look away from him. "But it's too expensive," she protested.

"Money is nothing to me, but you are everything to me."

And that was when everything disappeared out of her mind. The only thing she registered was herself, standing on her tippy-toes, throwing her arms around his neck, and pressing her lips against his.

He blinked, shocked that his little Meatball Head would take initiative. But he enjoyed it just the same.

Serena was surprised at the emotions she felt while her lips locked with his chapped, warm, sweet lips. She felt so… free. Alive. Amazing… And she couldn't fight the urge to want more. She could stay like this for the rest of her life and feel perfectly content, perfectly in love.

They broke apart reluctantly and Serena shyly looked away from him.

"Thank you."

Darien loved how she was so innocent, still so shy about kissing. He held her tighter and placed his head on top of hers. He felt so comfortable with her body pressed up against his body, molding perfectly together.

"So what would you like for breakfast?"

"Anything." Serena mumbled into his chest, not wanting to separate from him just yet. Even though she did love food, she loved—wait loved? Yeah, she loved being in his arms.

"Come on. You're gonna be my little helper." Darien pulled out of her grasp and held her hand, taking her with him to the kitchen.

"What are we making?"

"Chocolate chip pancakes."

Ten minutes later, the kitchen was a mess with flour everywhere and chocolate chips scattered around. There was a puddle of melted butter on the floor and empty food bags were carelessly spread about.

The couple also wasn't very clean. Serena's hair was knotted with clumps of pancake mix and her right cheek was covered in flour. Darien, on the other hand, was white as snow from head to toe.

"Mmm… these taste good!" Serena exclaimed as she chomped down on a pancake. She then licked her fingers, which were sticky from syrup. Darien and she had made lopsided pancakes that looked deformed, but she still loved the pancakes. They were planning to make crescent-moon-shaped and star-shaped pancakes, but the pancakes looked like lumpy ovals.

Darien agreed before tapping her nose, leaving a flour fingerprint mark. "I think maybe we should stick to ordering out. We're kinda messy."

She giggled before finishing her third pancake. "Bmmmt ishts yummrryy (translation XD: but it's yummy)," she spoke with her mouth filled with pancake.

"I know it's yummy. Unless you want to clean up?"

Serena groaned in dissent. "I don't wanna." She then grabbed some flour and threw it at Darien before waltzing off, giggling like crazy.

"Hey!" Darien charged after her, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He caught up to her within seconds, catching her from behind in an embrace.

"Eww, you're getting flour all over me!" Serena squealed while he turned her around in his arms.

"Am I now?" he teased.

"Yes, now let go." She playfully pouted, which Darien found adorable.

"I don't think I should just yet." He rubbed his flour covered hands up and down her back, making sure the flour stuck to her. He then released her before he started tickling her.

"Daariennnnn!"

Laughter filled the apartment.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe her!" Raye shouted angrily. "'Sorry, but we're not allowed to release her information unless you're family.'" She mimicked the woman who was worked the front counter at the hospital.<p>

"Maybe I can get the information out of her." Lita cracked her knuckles and grinned slyly.

"No, Lita. Beating her up is not going to get us anywhere." Amy chided.

"Oh no! What if Serena was kidnapped by some crazy guy!" Mina shouted dramatically, placing her hands on her cheeks and then shaking her head. "He probably thought he could take advantage of a pretty girl!"

The three other girls stopped walking and stared at Mina with an incredulous look.

"The poor maiden was kidnapped by the evil bad man, and it is up to us to save her! I will fight for love and justice! I am…-drum roll-…. Sailor V!" Mina struck a pose and winked to no one. "The godde-"

Raye slapped the back of Mina's head, causing her to stumble a little forward.

"Ow!" Mina rubbed her injury, sadly gazing at Raye in hopes of receiving affection or somewhat of an apology.

"This is no time to be messing around," Raye huffed. "No one is able to sign her out unless they're family."

"And her family is out of town." Ami quipped in thoughtfully. Who was left to check Serena out?

"Maybe they found a relative nearby who will take care of her?" Lita suggested.

The four girls walked into the Crown Arcade, slowly heading toward the counter where Andrew was working.

"Hey Andrew," the girls chimed together, surprising him.

"Hey girls. What can I do for you?" Andrew nervously smiled, hoping that they would not bother him with anymore questions about Serena.

"Have you heard from Serena?" Mina pushed forward to the front, batting her eyes prettily at him. He was just so dreamy…

"Uh, no." At least he didn't have to lie since he truthfully hadn't heard from Serena. "Have you?"

"No we haven't. We were just wondering what happened to her. Usually she would be contacting us by now." Raye was more than worried. Serena was her best friend. Serena was all of their best friends. Something terrible must've happened to Serena…

"Wait," Ami interjected. "How did you know she got into an accident when we came here yesterday?"

Andrew kicked himself mentally. He really hated to lie, but he couldn't risk throwing out his best friend. "I read the newspaper. You guys didn't read it?"

The girls shook their heads.

"Well sorry girls. I'd love to chat more but I have some more customers to tend to." Andrew thanked whoever for the rush of people who came into his arcade shop. He felt jittery from all the questions they were asking him, but he had to protect Darien as a best friend.

"Oh okay. But if you see Serena, contact us right away."

Andrew nodded and waved to the girls as they slipped into a booth. _Whew_… Darien definitely owed him big time.

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><p>AN: How many of you thought Serena actually remembered in the beginning of the chapter? XD Anyways, what will be in store for Darien and Serena next? I'd love to hear your thoughts! And I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. :)


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Wow! I have been away for a while now. But don't worry yet, I haven't given up on this story! I apologize for my slow update. I just have been busy with summer school work and trying to make the best out of my summer before college starts. And I also had the case of the writer's block. I just wanted to come up with something different and unexpected, but we'll see. :P Anyways, thanks very very much to all my fellow reviewers and readers out there! :D This chapter is a bit longer than usual so enjoy! :)

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><p>A week had gone by and it was another work day for Darien. The entire week was uneventful to her. All she did was watch cartoons on T.V., do some homework (which Darien had retrieved from her school and made her work on it against her will; she really despised homework), occasionally snoop through Darien's things since Darien was working during the day (but that was a secret), read her manga (something she thoroughly loved), eat food, and at the end of the day when Darien returned from work, they would eat together and cuddle up or just talk or tease each other. Life couldn't have been better… if only she remembered.<p>

And she felt restless. No matter how much she loved being with Darien, she still felt a piece of her missing. She was incomplete. When was she going to see her friends? Her family? Her school? Her life? Although Darien was part of her life, she needed to find the other half. Today, she was going to ask him…

She stepped out of her bedroom, which seemed to be getting smaller and smaller each day since Darien kept giving her cute gifts like roses, a star-shaped locket that played beautiful music (it was also her favorite gift from him), stuffed animals ranging from small to big, and much more.

She spotted him in the kitchen, his back facing her. She grinned sneakily and crouched slightly, slowly creeping up on him, about to pounce.

"Good morning meatball head," he said happily, without even turning around from his cooking.

Darn, he was good! "Mornin', cupcake." She had created him the most infamous nickname ever! She rather disliked her nickname "Meatball Head". It just bothered her even though he meant it endearingly. Nevertheless, she had to admit she was slightly fond of the name. But he was the only one to get away with calling her that. So in return, she decided to create a nickname so hideous for him that he would be bothered just like how her nickname bothered her.

"Why does it have to be cupcake? It sounds so… girly."

"Because you call me meatball head," she stated flatly.

"Fine," he half-heartedly agreed. But if it was anyone else calling him that, he or she would be dead meat. "Breakfast is ready."

They ate their breakfast with amiable chatter here and there.

Serena was nervously wringing her hands, her thoughts wandering to when she would see her friends.

"Darien?"

"Hm?"

"Well… um… Don't you think I'm ready to go see my friends?"

Darien nearly choked on his saliva and coughed forcedly.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded weakly in reply. He quickly had to conjure something in his mind, anything to stop her from seeing them.

"I mean, it's been a week and there aren't any bad signs about my health."

"I'm just worried that meeting your friends might strain you." Darien mentally applauded himself for his clever thought. "Seeing too many familiar faces could cause some trauma."

"Oh," she mumbled unhappily.

"Don't worry, you'll have plenty of time to meet your friends in the coming up weeks." Darien stood from his seat and stood next to her, gently pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll be back at 5. Don't forget to do your homework."

"Okay." Serena watched Darien leave before slouching down into her chair. She didn't know how much longer she could wait to see her friends. She knew that Darien was only telling what was best for her, but she couldn't help her curiosity. She also had promised Darien not to leave his place… But what he didn't know wouldn't hurt, right?

* * *

><p>"Didn't Ms. Haruna say someone already picked up Serena's homework?" Lita mentioned while sipping on a milkshake.<p>

"Yeah." Mina replied. "She said it was some guy—"

"Hey, Darien hasn't been here for a while." Raye noted. Something always did seem peculiar about that guy, although he was such a 'hottie'.

"Hm… yes. You're right, Raye." Amy quickly jotted the thought down onto her notepad. They were listing out factors that could have dealt with Serena's disappearance.

"We haven't seen him for a week now."

The subject of their conversation unexpectedly walked through the doors of the arcade, causing the girls to stop their conversation and stare at him for a moment.

"Eh?" Mina watched him in confusion. "I guess that means he is off the list."

"We can't rule anyone off the list until we have more evidence." Amy whispered back.

"I know, I know," Mina responded. " But does Andrew have to be on the list too? He's too hot and cute to be even considered as a criminal."

"It's especially the 'too hot and cute 'ones to be wary of." Raye retorted hotly, narrowing her eyes at Darien, who was quietly chatting to Andrew. She then motioned the girls to listen to their conversation.

"Hey, are you busy later tonight?" Darien asked quietly, taking note that Serena's friends were oddly silent, as if they were trying to eavesdrop. He had a strong feeling that they were becoming very suspicious of Serena's disappearance.

"Not really. I don't have any plans. Why?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to come over and chill for a while."

"Isn't Ser—"

"Great. Come over after you close the Crown." Darien interrupted harshly, which piqued the girls' interest.

"Ah, okay. Did you want a coffee?"

"No thanks. I've gotta get running. I'll see you later." Darien quickly left, glancing behind him often to see if the girls were going to follow, but the girls remained sitting in their booth.

"That seemed strange." Lita mentioned as the girls agreed.

"Let's keep an eye on Darien and Andrew." Raye suggested.

"That sounds like a plan." Mina said determinedly.

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><p>Serena had finally gathered up the courage to exit his apartment and she could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins. Her heart thumped nervously as she took the first step out of the building. It was a little past three o'clock and she only had around two hours to roam before Darien would be back from work.<p>

She hurriedly walked along the sidewalk, eying her surroundings in awe. It felt so nice to be outside and wandering. She did a twirl and then skipped a few steps, inhaling the fresh, warm air.

She was determined to find someone who knew her, but she didn't know where to start. She hoped someone would actually come approach her but what were the odds of that?

There was a big department store across the street and further down, there seemed to be a bunch of tiny little shops and perhaps, a café. She carefully crossed the street and decided to walk further along, hoping that one place would stand out to her, and that would be where she would start.

There it was! A sign that glowed red, spelling out "The Crown Arcade". It seemed to stand out and it even had a familiar ring to it. She walked toward it slowly, pondering if it was too soon for her to meet familiar people. Would it really cause her trauma like Darien had said?

Before she knew it, she was standing at the doors, which automatically slid open. Her feet mechanically trudged forward and stopped in the middle of the arcade.

"Hi, may I help—Serena?"

Serena examined the blonde haired handsome boy in front of her. He knew her! A smile spread across her face. "You know me?" She threw her arms around him in an embrace. Finally, someone she knew!

Andrew nervously hugged her back. Did Darien know about this? And what was he going to tell her? He pulled away from her, staring at her worriedly. She was just like a little sister to him and he really wanted to protect her, although he promised to help Darien. "Uh yeah, you come here regularly. How have you been? Are you okay?"

"I'm all right." Serena glanced around the arcade, hoping to remember something. "Are you busy right now?"

"I'm not too busy." Andrew walked behind the counter. "Would you like a chocolate milkshake? It's on the house."

"Oh yes, please." Serena sat on a stool at the counter, watching him intently. She wondered how she knew him, if she talked to him a lot, if he knew much about her. "There's something that's been bugging me lately."

"What?"

"It's just that... I don't remember anything. I don't know your name, I don't know who my friends are, I don't know my family and I don't know, pretty much, anything; all because of this stupid accident... I can't believe it." She was far beyond frustrated. She clenched her fists at her sides, trying hard to recall something that itched at the back of her mind. "I just wish that I could figure out what I was like before."

"You poor thing." Andrew said sympathetically, placing a chocolate milkshake in front of her. He really felt bad for covering up for Darien, but either way, he would hurt both if he did tell the truth. "I'm Andrew by the way, and you always come here after school hours with-" Andrew immediately stopped talking when he realized he was about to tell Serena who her friends were and they would destroy Darien's chances.

"With?"

"Serena?"

Oh damn. Andrew stared at Serena's friends in horror as they piled up on Serena in a huge hug.

"We missed you so much!" Mina exclaimed, tightly wrapping her arms around Serena's neck.

"Where were you?"

"You're such a meatball head!"

"Are you all right?"

"Hi. Do I know you guys?" Serena interrupted with a shaky smile.

"What do you mean?"

The girls backed away from Serena with confusion etched across their faces.

"How could you not know us?" Raye huffed exasperatedly. She wasn't angry with Serena, it was just the fact that she truly wanted her best friend back.

"I'm sorry. I lost my memory in an accident." Serena bowed her head shamefully, feeling tears at the brink of falling. "I really wish I did remember…"

"It's all right, Serena. We're here for you." Lita said, crushing Serena into another hug.

"Why don't we go somewhere else? Like the park?" Amy spoke. "It's quieter there and we can talk about old times."

"Okay." Serena agreed through her teary eyes. "But let me finish my chocolate milkshake first." She didn't even have words to describe her happiness. She was on the road to discovering herself.

The girls laughed, seeing that she seemed to be the same old Serena.

Andrew just cowered away into the background, uncertain what to make out of the situation. He needed to tell Darien, but he didn't want Serena to be hidden away for the rest of her life. Maybe it was best if he just stayed out of it…

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><p>"And then you had a klutz attack and toppled over the poor student."<p>

Serena laughed genuinely. "I guess I am a klutz."

"So you never did tell us who checked you out of the hospital."

"My boyfriend did." Serena answered earnestly. "He's been really sweet to me."

"Boyfriend?"

Speaking of her boyfriend, she only had fifteen minutes left to return home. She really had to wrap things up before she would get in trouble.

"Yeah. He's been really patient with me and-"

"He?" Mina raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"Who?" Raye demanded fiercely.

"What!"

"Don't you guys know?" Serena queried confusedly. Well, it did make sense that her friends didn't know. After all, they weren't her close friends. Darien had told her she didn't have any close friends.

The girls shook their heads in disagreement.

"Oh, well, his name is Darien," she stated proudly. "He's really nice and has been taking care of me for the last two weeks."

"Darien?"

"The one who you-" Amy furrowed her brows in thought.

"Sorry guys, but I really got to go. I promised Darien that I wouldn't leave his house until he said it would be okay for me to go out. But can you guys keep my sneak out as a secret?"

The girls mutely nodded their heads, still in shock about Darien being her boyfriend.

"Thanks so much!" Serena hugged her friends, each of them numbly hugging her back. She then dashed toward Darien's apartment. For some reason, she felt so comfortable with the girls. If she didn't know any better, she would say they were her close friends, but the fact that they didn't know about her boyfriend was rather strange.

"We will be paying Darien a visit soon." Raye narrowed her eyes menacingly. Darien was going to have to speak up and tell the truth. She wanted the truth and she was not going to let him harm Serena. If this was one sick joke Darien playing, she would more than roast him to ashes.

"Yeah," Lita agreed wholeheartedly. Darien would be flatter than a pancake when she was through with him. No one was going to lie to one of her friends.

Little did Darien know that he was going to face the wrath of four extremely angry teenage girls.

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><p>Serena slammed the door of the apartment shut, breathing heavily. She ran all the way to his apartment, afraid that Darien already made it home.<p>

"Darien?" she called out, anxiously nibbling on her lower lip.

There was no response and she let out a huge sigh of relief. She flopped down onto the couch and turned on the T.V., pretending that she was watching the T.V. all along.

The doorknob rattled, signaling that Darien was home, and she barely had time to register what she had learned today. She heard him walk into the apartment yet she didn't dare look at him, for in case he would see her face, which was all red from running.

"Hey Serena."

"How was work?" Her voice was a little more shrill than normal.

"Same as every other day. How was your day?"

"Pretty much the same," Serena replied a little too quickly. _Please don't let him sense anything suspicious. _"You know, homework and then watching T.V.!" She giggled uneasily. She really wasn't good at hiding things…

"Are you okay? Your cheeks are red." Darien reached to feel her forehead but she dodged his hand.

"Ha ha, is it hot in here or is it just me?" She stood from the couch and began to walk away from him.

"Come here. Let me feel your forehead."

"No, I'm just a little warm from doing some… some exercising!"

"You sure?" He knew that something was a bit off. He had watched her behavior and knew exactly when she was lying. Her voice would become higher and she would laugh nervously. He knew so many things about her, it was rather peculiar. But he really couldn't help learning little facts about her from Andrew or when he would sneak glances at her or when they used to argue childishly or when he would secretly eavesdrop on her conversations.

"Mhmm."

"Alright." He would let the problem slide for now, but he would find out sooner or later. Something just didn't feel right.

"I'll just be in my room, studying." Serena slipped into her room, closing the door gently. She pressed her back against the door, sliding downward until she was sitting on the floor. So many things were going through her mind and she had yet to sort through everything that she had learned about her friends and herself. Still, she craved for more knowledge about herself. Tomorrow, she was going to find her friends again.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hey guys! So... it's been a while, hasn't it? And I must be a crappy writer to be taking this long to write a chapter. Ahh, well, I've been busy with my first quarter of college, trying to maintain my grades. So, I really really am sorry for taking so long! If any of my faithful readers are still reading, thank you guys! :) And enjoy the chapter! I know it isn't my best but I haven't written anything in a while.

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><p>Darien frowned. His little meatball head was hiding inside her room for one hour and fourty-three minutes (not that he was counting), possibly hiding from him? Was she upset about this morning when he said she wasn't ready to see her friends just yet?<p>

Yes, it had to be that. Nothing else seemed plausible.

He stood outside of her room door, raising his hand to knock, freezing halfway.

What if she actually remembered something of the past? What if she realized he was lying to her?

No, that was the impossible…

Darien couldn't help but feel lonely at the loss of her presence. Even though she was right through the door, he never had her hide like this.

"Serena?" He lightly rapped on the door, holding his breath.

"Yes?" She flung the door wide open.

"How's studying?"

"Wha-oh yeah, that. I uh… studied chemistry." Serena stammered.

"That's great. Do you want some dinner?"

"Sure."

There was an awkward silence between them as they sat at the dining table. Darien missed her bubbly presence, which was replaced by a thoughtful, unreadable expression. He noticed how slowly she was eating and how she used her fork to play with the vegetables.

Serena idly stared at her plate of food, thinking of her friends. They seemed to know so much about her, besides Darien being her boyfriend. They told her of events at school, things they did after school, and about how she was a complete ball of sunshine, which was no longer true… Oh, the irony.

"Are you feeling okay?" Darien blurted out, wishing that he could just figure out what in the world was she thinking. Seeing her like this scared him, leaving him on the edge of his seat.

"Hm?" Serena broke out of her thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine." She felt a pang of guilt for betraying Darien's trust. He had been nothing but honest, loving, caring, saving her from the depths of despair, and here she was, keeping a secret from him. Still, she couldn't tell him what happened today. She couldn't bear to break his heart. "Do you think my friends miss me?"

"Of course. You'll see them soon. Just be patient."

She didn't know if she could feel any guiltier than now. He didn't deserve this. He deserved someone more honest, someone who was completely perfect. She began to doubt if she was really the 'one' for him. What was so special about her? She was klutzy, she lost her memory, she wasn't very smart, she wasn't even that beautiful; so what did he see in her? And, on top of that, she just couldn't help that she was too impatient for her own good. She slightly slouched in her chair.

Darien then cleared this throat. "I have a surprise for you."

He watched as her eyes lit up brightly like stars, almost mirroring a glimpse of her old innocence.

"You'll have to wait and see."

Serena tilted her head curiously. "Can I guess what it is?"

"Sure, but I won't affirm your answer if you guess right." He watched her smile, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Is it… a stuffed animal?"

Darien smirked mysteriously, feeling slightly appeased at her energetic behavior.

She pouted at his response. "Is it a trinket?"

The door bell rung, preventing Darien from answering, and Serena watched with anticipated fascination as Darien glided towards the door.

Darien flashed brief smile at her before opening the door, greeting the person at the door with a friendly welcome. He then stepped back, allowing the visitor to enter.

Then, Andrew's face was revealed and Serena could feel the pressure exerting on her. She couldn't let Darien find out that she secretly met Andrew today. She swallowed thickly, staring at the blond-haired man and hoping that he would not mention their meeting today.

"Hi Serena." Andrew said amiably.

"Hi." She had to be careful to not mention his name.

"Serena, this is Andrew, a close friend of yours." Darien introduced, catching a glimpse of fear in Serena's eyes but it disappeared as quickly as a blink of the eye. He mistook her fear as shyness, the kind of bashfulness when someone would meet a new person. Somehow, it made him feel a sense of masculinity, pride in himself that she liked him more. He knew a while ago that Serena did have a girlish crush on Andrew, which made him feel green with envy, but no longer would Serena have eyes for Andrew since she was _his_ girlfriend. Although, he did feel pretty bad that Andrew was long forgotten in Serena's memory.

"You must like living here, huh, Serena?" Andrew asked pleasantly, a friendly smile spreading across his face.

Serena was slightly relieved that Andrew hadn't mentioned anything yet. "Mhmm. Darien has been taking care of me."

Andrew laughed warmly, his green eyes sparkling with mirth. "Of course, he certainly knows how to take care of people. You ought to hear about Darien's babysitting experience."

Serena glanced inquiringly at Darien, who was blushing faintly, and she found that look adorable on his face.

"Uh maybe we should save that for anoth-"

"Don't be timid, Darien." Andrew grinned impishly before looking back at Serena, his grin widening so much that Serena didn't know how much wider his grin could be.

"Yeah, Darien!" Serena added pleadingly, focusing her attention on Andrew.

"You know Darien had to babysit my little cousin one time."

"Andrew!" Darien protested in hopes of stopping the storytelling.

"Ah that was a day to remember." Andrew reminisced with his mischievous grin still planted on his face. "When I came back to my house—you should've seen the place. It was a complete, absolute mess."

Darien sighed, slapping his hand on his forehead in defeat. There was no stopping Andrew…

Serena giggled, momentarily forgetting her problems. She listened intently as Andrew described the house and she could imagine vividly the description of the house: tissues all over, food spilt on the floor and splattered over the walls, toys scattered about, and so much more. She smiled genuinely and secretly watched Darien from the corners of her eyes. He seemed really flustered.

"At least the demon child fell asleep. It could've been worse." Darien sulked.

"And you didn't believe me how crazy my little cousin was." Then Andrew laughed abruptly as he remembered the highlight of the memory. "Oh Serena, my favorite part was—"

"Don't even go there." Darien warned, reaching over toward Andrew to cover his mouth.

"Darien's face was completely white, covered in baby powder!" Andrew dodged Darien's hand, laughing manically. "Even his hair was white!"

Darien began to chase Andrew around the apartment while Serena laughed until tears came out of her eyes.

"He looked like a scary snowman." Andrew cackled.

"Did not!" Darien finally caught Andrew by the shirt.

Andrew raised his hands in defeat, though he still wore his knowingly smile. "Okay, okay. I give up."

Darien glared once more at Andrew before releasing him from his grasp.

"But you do gotta admit that you were scary-looking."

Darien was about to make a snippy retort but Serena interrupted.

"I doubt Darien could ever look scary," Serena said with a grin. "He's just too cute." She stood on her tip-toes and reached up to ruffle Darien's messy hair.

"Cute?" Darien scrunched his face with slight disgust for the word.

"Yep!" Serena then pinched his cheeks.

Andrew just laughed at Serena's antics. They looked just like the epitome of a perfect couple. But he had a feeling that things were going to be crashing down soon. Serena's friends were probably going to spill the beans to her and the truth was ugly. It would hurt both Serena and Darien. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the couple, who clearly loved each other deeply.

The night seemed to fly by quickly and Andrew left the happy couple.

Darien tucked Serena into bed, placing a kiss on her forehead and another on her lips. "Goodnight, Serena." He stared lovingly into her eyes.

"Goodnight, Darien." She whispered, silently wishing he didn't leave just yet. But he shut the door, leaving her to her thoughts. Maybe it was better if he left for the night. She still had to collect her thoughts. Something was off. She could sense it, something in her gut, telling her that nothing was as it seemed. She strained to recall the past, but nothing came to mind.

She let out a frustrated sigh, letting sleep to consume her and nightmares to plague her.

"_How could you betray me like that?" Darien was aloof, his tall build towering over her cowering body. "I cared for you, gave you everything, took you in, and you repay me like this?" His angry cobalt eyes were as hard as stone, a sight so harsh that she wished she would never see such a look cross his face again. _

"_But I wanted to see them!" Serena cried, clutching onto his arm._

_Darien brushed her off him, taking steps away from her. "I trusted you."_

"_You still can." She watched through her tears as he began to back away further, out of her reach. "Darien!"_

"_Get out of my sight," he demanded harshly, no longer staring at her._

_She didn't know what hurt more; his incapability to look at her or his icy words. "But Darien…" Her voice was nothing but a silent croak. _

"_I said leave!" He pointed to the opened door of his apartment._

_She couldn't find it in her to move an inch toward the door. "I…"_

_Darien did not wait a second longer before shoving her out the door, slamming it shut behind her._

_She stumbled a bit, landing on the ground. "Darien!" she sobbed helplessly. She crawled toward his door, weakly hitting the wooden door. "Darien… I love you," she breathed, but he didn't hear her. "Darien!" _

Serena awoke drenched in cold sweat and hugged herself, shaken from her nightmare. What would she do without Darien? She felt horrible, disgusted with herself for going to see her friends. She should have listened, should have been patient.

Darien was everything she could have asked for. Without him, she wouldn't have made it this far, would she?

She crept out of bed and out of the room. She just wanted one little peek at Darien to comfort herself that he would still be there for her. She stepped slowly, and hopefully quietly?

As she stood outside his door, she twisted his doorknob slowly and the door clicked open. She nervously chewed her lower lip. The sound could have been loud enough to wake him, but she hoped that luck would be on her side and allow him to continue sleeping.

Slowly, she pushed the door, taking nearly a minute to open enough space for her to sneak through.

However, she walked straight into something and her blood went cold. How could she be so klutzy!

But the 'something' she had walked into had grunted some words.

And before she had the chance to scream, the lights flicked on and it was _her_ Darien that was staring confusedly at her.

His hair was a mess, a few locks straying in front of his sleepy-glazed eyes. Serena couldn't help but admire how handsome he looked even when tired.

"I'm sorry," she whispered hurriedly, looking away from him. "I had a nightmare and I was scared… But I'll go back to my room." She blushed embarrassedly and turned to leave.

His warm hand circled around her wrist, preventing her from going any further. " I'll always be here to protect you, Serena."

_But what if you can't protect me from yourself? _ Serena launched herself into his arms, surprising him at her sudden affection. "Can I stay with you tonight?" she murmured into his warm, solid chest. _Please don't leave me. I won't go out to see my friends again until you say so… _

"Sure?" Darien replied in a daze. He carried Serena to his bed, slipping her under the covers before joining her. He felt her arms wrap around his waist, hugging him closer to her petite frame. He tiredly ran his hand through her golden silky hair and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead and a few more sloppy ones on her closed eyes, nose, and lastly, lips. He slipped away into his sleep as did she, the both of them feeling comfort from the long day.

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><p>AN: Thoughts, anyone? :) Also, don't forget to leave a review. :D


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hey guys! Another chapter! Woot! Sorry its really short, but I really really really wanted to update because of all the wonderful reviews! Thank you guys SO SO SO much for reviewing! It really means a lot to me. :D And here is the chapter that most of you have been waiting for.

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><p>Warm… She felt warm and content. Snuggling deeper into her blankets, she inhaled Darien's wonderful, musky scent of roses and coffee. It made her wonder if he used some type of cologne or dowsed himself in a bucket of coffee. Either way, he smelled amazingly delicious.<p>

A sharp rap on the door brought Serena out of her reverie and to realize that Darien was no longer in bed with her but rather, at work… again.

"Hey! Open up!" came a muffled, high-pitched voice. Yep, the voice was definitely feminine. Feminine? Why would a girl be showing up at Darien's apartment?

Serena took one glance at the digital clock on the nightstand, reading the big, bold red numbers; 3:00 P.M. It was _three_ already?

"Darien, get out here right now!" The becomingly shrill voice indicated that the person was growing more agitated by the lack of response from inside. The person slammed her fist even harder on the front door.

Serena groggily dragged herself out of bed to open the abused door.

"Hi, may I help—Raye?" Serena stared at her friend in disbelief. What did Raye have to do with Darien?

"I need to speak with Darien." Raye tried to peep behind Serena to see if Darien was home. She felt disappointed… jealous. She had a crush on Darien and was envious of how he claimed that he was Serena's boyfriend. However, she had to push all those thoughts aside, back into the furthest part of her heart. Her friendship with Serena was so much more important than some stupid yet handsome guy.

Even then, Raye felt slightly elated that she would be separating Serena from Darien by revealing the truth. She had to admit, she was selfish. She selfishly wanted Darien to herself and couldn't help to wish that Serena was not in the way between Darien and herself. And it hurt, to see Serena in his home as if she was Darien's property, Darien's lover…

"But what are you doing here? Darien might get mad if he sees you here." Serena piped innocently.

"Serena, there's something I need to tell you." Raye took a breath. As much as she was jealous, she really wished she didn't hurt Serena. Serena was her friend, her best friend. She had to suppress the green monster inside.

"Yes?"

Raye hesitated, conflicted between her thoughts. She was already at Darien's apartment so maybe she should just spit it out. She had already spent her time when she was walking to his apartment, thinking how to confront Darien and reveal the truth to Serena.

But… she didn't want to hurt Serena. Serena already seemed to be so deeply in love with Darien.

No. She had a purpose and that purpose was to help Serena, and helping meant revealing the truth.

Raye took one more breath. "I came to talk about…"

"Raye?"

Raye's black hair swished around her as she spun to face the man she desperately wished loved her. Upon spotting him, all she felt was hot, unadulterated anger; anger for the man who tore her heart, stole her best friend, making her helplessly jealous.

"Darien. Shouldn't you be telling her the truth?" Raye wasn't sure if she was shaking or not, but she was going to make him repent.

"Truth?" Serena echoed confusedly.

"Raye, don't embarrass yourself." Darien said smoothly, his voice not betraying any of his inner thoughts. Secretly, he was terrified of what could happen. He couldn't lose Serena…

"Embarrass myself?" Raye snapped heatedly. "I'm not embarrassing myself. If anything, it would be you embarrassing yourself!"

"Keep your voice down. The neighbors will get upset." Darien struggled to keep his strong façade.

"I don't give a damn! Tell her the truth!" Raye was shaking violently, no longer holding back.

Serena never knew she could feel so afraid. She was scared of Raye, afraid of the hateful gleam in Raye's violet eyes. "Darien?" Serena squeaked while taking a few steps back into the apartment.

"If you won't tell her, I will." Raye briskly swung her body to face Serena.

"There's nothing to tell her." Darien dangerously stepped closer to Raye. "Now, please leave." His words were not a request. They were a command, a threat.

"Not until I have my say to Serena." Raye glared at her best friend who was shaken, absolutely pale. "He's lying to you Serena."

Darien couldn't stop the words flying out of Raye's mouth. He could only watch powerlessly as the truth spewed from her angry lips.

"He isn't your boyfriend. He isn't your anything! He's a big fat jerk to you." Raye felt livid, absolutely powerful. She felt relief. She felt her jealousy take over, making her want to hurt Darien the way he hurt her. "I am your best friend."

Darien finally managed to find his voice again. He had to stop this. "Raye stop lying. You're scaring her."

"I'm not lying! You've got to believe me Serena. He's been making this whole thing up, an unrealistic fantasy. He was the one who teased you, made fun of your grades, your hair, your—everything!" Raye was no longer coherent and stumbled on her words.

"That's preposterous. You're just saying that because you're jealous."

He nailed her jealously right on the head. Raye, flustered, tried to deny the ever so present truth of his last words. "Serena—"

"Stop." Serena spoke with an unknown authority lacing her voice. "Stop it!"

Raye and Darien froze for just a moment, shocked by Serena's uncharacteristic power.

Darien took the chance to muster his strongest and hopefully convincing tone. "Leave, Raye. You've already done enough."

Raye huffed, still trembling with anxiety. She faced Serena once more, mentally pleading Serena to believe her. "Think about my words." With that said, Raye spun on her heel, storming away from the apartment. So what if she was saying things out of jealousy? It was also for Serena's best.

Darien stepped into the apartment, his heart thudding and hot blood rushing through his veins. He waited for her harsh words of disbelief and hatred. He searched her beautifully, haunted eyes for a sign of any betrayal, but he found nothing, not a hint of anything.

Never in his entire life had he felt this scared, this frightened. He was incapably hopeless. He couldn't lose her, not this way. She was beyond important; she was his life, his love, his other half. _Please, don't let this be the end... I really do love you Serena._

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><p>AN_: _OMG, what is Serena going to do? XD What are your thoughts? Don't forget to leave a review! Tell me what you think will happen. :D Thanks again for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Hey again! You guys must be thinking that I'm updating really fast. Well that's because of all the amazing feedback! :D **Thanks** again guys for the lovely reviews!

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><p>Serena reached out and embraced Darien, hugging him like no tomorrow. She believed him. He was <em>her<em> boyfriend. Raye was jealous. She remembered Raye's envious eyes roaming her boyfriend, and that was all it took to convince her that Darien was telling the truth. Everything he did was for her benefit. He clothed her, he fed her, he took her in when she was nearly on the brink of insanity. He was her home. Why would he have any reason to lie to her?

"I believe you Darien."

Those words somehow didn't seem as magical as Darien thought they would be. Although he was filled with relief that she believed him, he just wished that she wasn't as trusting of him. It would make him feel better, appease his guilty conscience. He felt so _dirty_. He lied to her… but it all really came down to his feelings. His feelings were true.

"I'm sorry Serena," Darien breathed into her hair. "I'm sorry you had to listen to that." He was _more _sorry for her believing him. He just couldn't let her go. He wondered if he could live his whole life like this, lying to her face. He felt so damn guilty.

"It's all right. It's not your fault that she's jealous." Serena whispered softly.

He pulled back to stare into her naïve eyes. "I care so much for you Serena. I would never hurt you."

"I know." She smiled trustingly, which made his guilt twist further like a knife drilling into his gut.

He leaned down, brushing his lips over hers, loving her for her faith in him, yet detesting himself for being such a scum. He wrapped his arms around her petite waist, holding her closer as he ravaged her lips. He heard her squeak as he deepened the kiss, hoping that she would be with him forever. Soon, they were running out of breath and he released her for oxygen.

Serena inhaled sharply, reaching up to touch her swollen lips. _Wow._ He never kissed her like that before… and it felt so good. She more than believed that he cared. That kiss swept her off her feet. That kiss radiated his honesty, his faith in her. She beamed at him. He had to be the best boyfriend in the entire world. She was gosh darn lucky to have him.

"I was so afraid that you believed her." Darien murmured sadly. "I don't know what I would do without you."

She had never seen him look so forlorn. Her heart tugged, making her want to swipe the frown off his face. "I trust you." She didn't want to lose him.

Her confirmation slapped him even harder than her words of belief. _Trust_ was such a strong thing.

He wore a smile, just like a fox in sheep's clothing. As long as she was his, there was nothing to worry about. He just had to push his guilty conscience aside…

If anything, this event had made her hate her amnesia more. She hated the fact that people could take advantage of her, saying things to make her easily mold into their plans. She hated that she couldn't remember anything important. She then decided that she didn't like Raye. Raye was manipulative, evil, and jealous. Darien was _hers _and no one was going to take him from her.

She was deliriously happy that Darien did not look in the direction of any other female. Again, she was just so _gosh darn lucky_. How was it possible to find such a caring, loyal, honest boyfriend?

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><p>Raye stormed back to her grandpa's temple, feeling relieved. She was hoping to hear from Serena, to see Darien crushed at his loss. It wasn't just that though…. It was because he was a lying bastard. Serena deserved so much better than a lying jerk.<p>

And that was what she told herself. Because he was a liar. A no good, lying, piece of _crap_.

"Hey Raye!" Mina shouted from down the street, running up to Raye. "How did it go?"

Raye had managed to convince the girls that she was capable of telling Serena the truth alone. She went alone to Darien's apartment to help Serena but also, to get back at Darien, though she'd never admit that was one of the reasons why she went alone.

"I don't know. Darien showed up and I didn't have a chance to see Serena's reaction." Raye replied truthfully. "But I'm pretty sure the truth will sink in." She couldn't help gloating, imagining their broken relationship. "Serena is smart enough to tell apart the truth."

"Don't you think if Serena believed you, she wouldn't have a place to stay?" Mina arched her finely thin brow. "She probably would have followed you out… right?"

Raye froze in her tracks, stiffening. _No! _ Serena _had_ to believe her. Mina's words had made so much sense though. If Serena believed her, they would have left together.

"We should go back there and see if Serena left!" Mina chirped, latching a hand onto Raye's arm, tugging her in the direction of Darien's apartment.

Raye smacked her hand off. She was in foul mood… "No. Serena didn't believe me."

"But you didn't even check—"

"I don't need to check. I know she didn't. She would have followed me out just like you said." Raye clenched her fist tightly. "We're going to have to step it up and find out a way to convince her."

"Why don't we call Amy and Lita over?"

Raye wordlessly agreed. _This_ was for Serena's best.

A half hour later, the four girls sat inside the temple, pondering how to get back their friend.

"Maybe you were too blunt with Serena?" Amy quipped. "You had no proof that you were one of her best friends."

Raye harrumphed and replied flippantly, "Well obviously she should have some sense or intuition that we were at least close friends."

"You can't expect her to remember everything. She has amnesia."

"Whatever," Raye muttered under her breath.

"I say, we all should go together and confront Darien right now!" Mina interjected.

"Yeah! Darien has been feeding her a bunch of lies. Who knows what he said to her ! He probably made up things about us and that's why she didn't believe Raye's words." Lita was furious. Darien was one sick jerk to be playing her friend like that.

"I think we should wait guys. Raye going there today was probably a shock to Serena. We need to give her some space today and we can go back tomorrow." Amy commented.

Raye suddenly smiled as she was struck by an epiphany. "I think I have a better idea." It was a pretty crazy idea, insane actually. But it might just work.

The three other girls stared at Raye, who was fierce with determination. They knew there was no stopping her.

"What?"

"We kidnap her."

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><p>AN: HEHEHE! What will happen to Serena now? Stay tuned for the next update! And do leave a review please. :) I appreciate it very much! And also, Happy New Year! :D


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Hellooo! :) The usual thing, new chapter. :D And a** huge huge thanks** to my reviewers who inspire me to write more!

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><p>Nightfall came quickly and all the lights were finally out in Darien's apartment.<p>

"It's been thirty minutes already!" Mina whined impatiently, only to receive sharp shushes from her three friends in reply.

"Be quiet! You're going to get us in trouble." snapped Raye.

Mina pouted and remained silent as they quietly slipped into the building and into the elevator. The crisp 'ding' of the elevator made the girls more aware of the risk they were taking.

Raye was the first to step out of the elevator, leading the girls to Darien's apartment.

"Ready Lita?" asked Raye.

"Yep!" Lita replied enthusiastically. She whipped out a set of lock picking tools and began working on the lock.

"So here's the plan. Once we find Serena, we're going to tie her up to prevent her from struggling. Lita and I will carry Serena. Amy and Mina will stay watch in the main room. Also, Amy, you have the note to Darien right?"

"Yes…" Amy said hesitantly, fingering the note in her pocket. She didn't really want to kidnap Serena, but it wasn't like they had any other choice to save her.

The door knob clicked and the girls stared at each other with apprehension.

"Ready, girls?" Lita queried, slowly twisting the doorknob.

The other girls nodded affirmatively and began to enter the apartment.

Amy and Mina went into the main room and deposited the 'note' on a coffee table while Lita and Raye wandered further into the apartment.

Raye looked between three shut doors and glanced back at Lita. It was going to be tough figuring out which room Serena was in. _Please don't let this room be Darien's… _ Raye twisted the knob of the first door, holding her breath. She opened the door wider, letting out a silent sigh of relief when she realized it was a bathroom.

She motioned to Lita to try the next door. Lita took her time opening the second door, sweat forming on her brow. She sighed in relief as well when the door was fully opened. She squinted her eyes, hoping to decipher the person in the bed.

The person in the bed suddenly turned over, causing Lita to quickly stumble out of the bedroom.

Raye stared at Lita pointedly, as if asking her who was in the room.

Lita shrugged, slightly afraid to go any further into the room.

Raye shook her head in annoyance and stealthily dove into the room. As she got closer to the bed, she halted out of fear. It was Darien! She cursed mentally, quietly scrambling out of the room. She heard him begin lightly snoring. She gently guided the door shut behind her as cold sweat began to drench the back of her shirt.

"That was close." Lita breathed before reaching for the last door. She confidently opened the door faster than before and the two girls crept inside.

Serena was deep in slumber, snoring a bit louder than Darien.

Raye quickly jumped into action, pulling out a rope, as did Lita. Raye pointed at Serena's legs and then at Lita.

Lita nodded and ripped the bed sheets off of Serena. She started to tie the rope around Serena's ankles while Raye tied Serena's arms. Lastly, to top it off, Lita ripped some duct tape, placing it over Serena's mouth.

With a thumbs up to Raye, they both seized Serena.

Serena felt people grabbing her arms and her eyes wildly shot open. She couldn't see anything but a blur. She kept blinking until she could make out shadows leaning over her. She tried to move her arms but she couldn't. They were stuck! And so were her feet!

She resulted in screaming, but she realized her mouth was taped shut. Her muffled cries were helpless. _Darien, help me!_

"Be quiet!" someone hissed in her ear.

She began to scream louder, tears forming in her eyes. Why were they doing this? Was she going to get beat? Raped? Killed? Fear seized her and she wiggled her body.

"If you don't be quiet and stop struggling, you're going to get hurt!"

Those words seemed to silence Serena's struggling and yelps. As she felt her body being lifted into the air, she couldn't help but scream louder and squirm even more. _Someone save me!_

"Damn it!" Raye whispered furiously. Serena was freakin' heavy! And her struggling didn't help anymore. Before she knew it, Serena's upper half slipped out of her grasp and Serena's head hit the floor with a thump.

"Shit!" That was all Serena heard before she blacked out.

Raye and Lita stopped all of their movements, listening for any suspicious sound. They stared at the door, spotting a shadow at the entrance. If that was Darien… then they were in deep trouble now. They stood there for a minute, waiting for the person to step into the room, but the person just continued to stand there.

Raye eye's finally adjusted to the dark and could make out the silhouette of Mina. Irritably, Raye began to heave Serena up again, Lita joining a few seconds later.

The girls managed to get out of the apartment safely with Serena in their hold. As they made it outside of the building and into the bushes, Raye and Lita deposited Serena on the ground.

"You scared the shit out of me, Mina! I thought I told you to stand guard!" Raye growled as Mina batted her eyes innocently.

"I was standing guard."

"Guys, let's just figure out where we are going to take Serena. She's pretty heavy but I think I can carry her on my back for a few blocks." Lita interrupted.

"We're heading to the temple." Raye answered snippily, still annoyed by Mina's act. "I have a guest room that Serena can stay in for a while until her parents come back."

The girls agreed and ventured to the temple, preparing to end their night's adventure.

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><p>It was oddly silent in his apartment. <em>Strange<em>. Darien combed his hand through his hair and dragged himself out of bed. Something was not right here. Something… He couldn't place his finger on it just yet, but something in his gut told him that there was something missing.

_Oh well._ It was probably nothing. He had work today so he was going to get ready. He began to change into his typical outfit, a fitted black turtle neck and tan slacks. He slung on his favorite green jacket and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.

Just as he was about to leave, he wanted to take a glimpse at his sleeping beauty, so he poked his head through her door… that was unusually wide open?

"Serena?" He went inside her room, finding her bedcovers flung onto the floor and an empty bed. He went to her bedcovers, patting it to see if she was hiding under the covers. However, his hand sunk right into the plushy material and he realized she was not in her room.

"Serena!" he shouted frantically. He had hoped that she was somewhere inside his apartment but he received no reply. He began to search the rest of his apartment only to be disappointed.

He sunk down onto the couch in the main room, cradling his head in his hands. Serena was gone. Kidnapped for all he knew! And he was too stupid to not hear anything in the middle of the night… How could he be so irresponsible! _Serena, please be okay_. He only hoped that she stepped out for some fresh air, but that seemed far from logical. She never woke up early… nor would she leave the house.

As he glanced up, he spotted a white envelope on his coffee table, neatly addressed to him. He reached over to it, nervously fumbling with the opening. His fingers were trembling as he tried to rip it open as fast as he could. Yanking out the flimsy binder paper, he read furiously, hoping this was the answer to his problem.

_Dear Darien,_

_Don't be alarmed that Serena is gone. We have taken her under our care until her parents return from their vacation. We are really disappointed in your behavior towards our friend. You lied to her and we hope that you can confess to her the truth and your intentions. Even then, we will be telling her the truth as soon as she wakes up. However, we owe you thanks for taking good care of Serena since the accident._

_ Raye, Lita, Mina, & Amy_

Darien let the note slip out of his hands, and as the words sunk deeper into his chaotic mind, he jumped up from the couch.

"Fuck." He glanced at the clock, which read forty-five past seven. He was going to be late for work. Today sucked…

He snatched up his car keys, preparing to rush out the door only to find his door lock didn't lock. He let out another string of curses that surely would have frightened a sailor. He was going to have to take off from work today. Then, he was going to figure out what to do about Serena.

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><p>"Earth to meatball head!"<p>

"Huh?" Serena winced, rubbing a bruise on her head. However that got there was a mystery… "And don't call me that Raye!"

"It's about time you get up." Raye said, causing Serena to stick out her tongue.

"It's too early to get up!" Serena complained, taking a quick glance at her surroundings. She couldn't recall when and how she got to Raye's temple in the first place. "Hey! What am I doing here? I don't recall having a sleepover."

Raye fidgeted nervously, plastering on a grin. "We're having a sleepover, that's why we're here! You're really such a meatball head. You probably have meat for brains too!"

"Hey! Stop being mean, Raye!" Serena wailed angrily. She was not stupid! She may be forgetful and lazy at times, but she was definitely not stupid.

Raye stared suspiciously at Serena. Serena's behavior was somewhat… or uncannily normal?

Amy intervened, sitting down on the bed next to Serena. "Hey Serena. Can I ask you a few things?"

"Sure! It's not like you need to ask permission to ask me questions anyways, Amy." Serena smiled at Amy. Amy was always so polite… But back to her main problem; she couldn't remember yesterday and how she was at Raye's temple. Hmm… maybe she was just forgetful. She shrugged off the thought and tuned back into Amy's speech that she missed halfway.

"—we are." Amy finished and Serena guiltily laughed.

"Sorry, could you repeat that one more time?"

Raye was about to make a snide remark about Serena's selective hearing, but Amy spoke.

"Do you know where we are?"

Serena furrowed her brows. Jeez, that was such a dumb question! "Of course!" Serena replied defensively. "We're at Raye's temple!"

"Okay… then do you know who we are?"

Serena looked around her to see Lita, Mina, Raye, and Amy. She couldn't believe Amy was asking her that question. "You're Amy, that's Raye, Mina and Lita! You guys are my best friends! Duh." She watched Amy expectantly as if she were to receive more 'stupid' questions. "Seriously guys! Are you pulling a joke on me? Cause if you are, this is not funny!"

The other four girls giggled anxiously at her response.

"Who is Darien?" Raye suddenly blurted out because she so desperately wanted to know, wanted her to forget.

"My boyfriend!" Serena chirped happily. She really wanted to go see Darien.

"He's not your boyfriend!" Raye couldn't stop herself from saying that. As much as she felt guilty, she was telling the truth.

"Is too!" Serena growled. How dare Raye say that he wasn't her boyfriend! She would bring him over to prove it if that was the case!

"Is not!"

"He is too!"

"Is not, is not!"

"Is too, is too, is too!"

Amy, Lita, and Mina's sweat dropped as the two girls argued. So it seemed like their friend had recovered _some_ of her memory… They could only wait to see what more Serena would discover and what would come as reality would hit her.

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><p>AN: Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! And please leave a review. :) I don't know if I will be able to update soon since I will be heading back to college, but I will definitely try my best. :D


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hey! :) I'm gonna make this really quick! So I didn't have a lot of time to edit since I wanted to post this chapter up before I leave back to college. Sorry if there are a lot of mistakes! I will go over it another day and proof read. And **thanks** to all my reviewers! You guys are awesome! And thanks to all my readers!

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><p>"Hurry up Serena! You're going to make us late for school!"<p>

"I'm coming! Just give me one more second." Serena yelped as she finished tying her second bun on top of her head.

Serena's four best friends shook their heads in disappointment.

"I was wondering if something happened to Serena. It's strange how she recovered her some of her memory so fast. " Amy whispered to Raye.

"I might've… dropped her on her head last night." Raye replied sheepishly. "It was a pure accident!"

"'Kay guys! Let's go!" Serena gushed happily, stepping out of the bathroom. She seriously detested school, but walking with her four best friends made her feel a little more enthusiastic to be going to school. Speaking of school, she couldn't remember if she did her homework. She tried thinking back to last night, but her memory was fuzzy. She couldn't remember anything really… And that bugged her a lot. She didn't have this bad of a memory problem.

"Is something bothering you Serena?" Amy worriedly watched Serena's face contort into a frown.

Should she tell them? But she didn't really want to look dumb nor did she want to hear Raye's degrading comments. Even if they were best friends… But this problem was really bugging her. Immensely bugging her… "Sorta."

"What?" Mina slung an arm around Serena's shoulders comfortingly.

"It's just that… I can't remember…" Serena fidgeted, stopping in her tracks. She heaved in a shaky breath and finished lamely, "last night…"

The four other girls shared a look that Serena didn't miss. They were hiding something from her. That bugged her **even** more.

"Eh… Serena… we have to tell you something." Amy's eyes were filled with sadness and… hope?

"Okay… What's going on?" Serena frowned deeper, darting her eyes back and forth to each of her friends. This was starting to freak her out. What were they hiding?

Raye stepped forward with an encouraging smile. Earlier, Serena and her had bickered about Darien, but Serena had stubbornly claimed Darien was her boyfriend. She wasn't so sure if Serena would believe the truth, but maybe this time around, Serena would listen. They were best friends. "You got into an accident a few weeks ago."

"An accident?" Serena was in disbelief. Yeah right! An accident. She laughed at the thought.

"Let me finish!" Raye huffed, silencing Serena from questioning any further. "After school and after we hung out at the arcade, you were walking home alone. You happened to be walking by a construction area and they happened to be careless. A piece of wood managed to hit your head and you ended up in the hospital."

Serena couldn't believe it. She didn't believe it. If she was in the hospital, she would have remembered it!

"Then you met Darien. I'm not quite sure how you met him, but he claimed to be your boyfriend."

"Okay, that's enough." Serena broke out into laughter. Her friends were joking. They had to be! "Jokes on me!" She laughed harder. Her friends were such pranksters. Her laughs subsided when she noticed their solemn gazes. Not one of their faces showed an inkling of a smile. They were serious.

"We're not lying." Lita stated firmly.

"Uh-huh, and I'm the princess of the moon!" Serena joked, waiting for them to start bursting into laughter. She waited for Mina to crack. Mina would always be the first to laugh when they played a joke.

"Darien isn't your boyfriend." Raye wished Serena believed them. She wished Darien was hers, not Serena's. But… Darien would probably never look at her the way he did with Serena. Her jealousy grew and she felt a stronger urge to make sure Serena and Darien were apart. "He lied to you."

"Sure." Serena said half-heartedly, still not agreeing with her friends. The information was too much for her to comprehend. She didn't notice that along the way, they had reached school. The shrill school bell alerted her that class was starting.

"Please believe us, Serena." Amy whispered before they stepped into the classroom.

"Serena! You're finally back." Ms. Haruna greeted. She was a petite, fairly young lady with reddish-brown hair that stretched a little further than her shoulders. "How are you feeling? I heard you've been through quite a lot! The accident and all. You have such a nice boyfriend to take care of you…"

Ms. Haruna's words just flew through one ear and out the other. Serena paled, feeling sick to her stomach. Accident? Her stomach churned madly and her palms grew sweaty and grimy. Her eyes dilated as the classroom spun in front of her. She could only register the word 'accident'.

"You look ill." Ms. Haruna placed a thin hand on top of Serena's forehead. "You feel pretty warm too. Maybe you should go back home today. I'll go call your boyfriend to pick you up."

"Stop." Serena croaked feebly. "I-I'm fine." She dragged her feet to her empty desk by the window, sinking down into her seat mechanically.

Accident… Boyfriend. Not boyfriend. Darien. Raye. Amy. Lita. Mina. Construction. Accident. Boyfriend?

"I'll be handing back your graded assignments. Please look over your mistakes and I will be going over the problems…"

Couple of papers landed on her desk and she semiconsciously roved her eyes over the papers. 100. 100. 100? She grabbed the papers, clenching them tightly. The papers crinkled under her fingers. One hundred percent on her English essay? That had to be a mistake! She began to read her writing and she could faintly recall working on that assignment with Darien.

"Your boyfriend is so nice. He told me that he tutored you." Ms. Haruna whispered to Serena.

Serena almost jumped out of her seat, surprised that Ms. Haruna crept up on her. "Ah-eh-uh- yes." She remembered Darien more clearly now. It was when he came home from work.

"_Hey Serena!" Darien unbuttoned the top button of his sky-blue shirt, which Serena found very distracting but extremely attractive. She loved it when he came home, looking all disheveled and handsome._

_He joined her on the floor, peering over her shoulder at her assignment on the coffee table._

"_I need help." Serena murmured distantly, even more distracted by his warm chest pressed against her back. She leaned back into him, sighing when she felt his warm breath ghost across her cheek. Her eyes fluttered closed._

"_You're going to have to open your eyes if you need help." Darien chuckled huskily, kissing her cheek briskly. _

_She pouted and opened her eyes, turning to the side to look at him. He was perfect. _

"_So what you need help with?" _

_She grinned cheekily before pouncing on him, kissing his wonderful lips passionately. _

"_Woah-" Darien managed to say before his back hit the floor and Serena landing on top of him. He felt so blissful… amazingly blissful. She needed help with homework though… but who was he to protest? He had a beautiful girl right on top of him, kissing him with her magical lips._

_She ravaged his lips hungrily, her teeth grazing his lower lip. He returned her kiss and she thought she was in heaven. However, she pulled back unwillingly, panting heavily. _

"_I really love getting greeted this way." Darien smirked boyishly. "I'd be more than willing to help you with your homework if I get such wonderful greeting every day." _

_Serena blushed and climbed off of him. "I need help with English."_

_Darien sat up and focused on her blank page on the coffee table. Arching a brow at her, she blushed even more._

"_I don't know how to start my essay. It's supposed to be a personal essay, describing a meaningful event in my life." Serena grabbed her pencil and started to color in the top corner of her binder paper. _

_ "I have an idea." Darien arose from the ground, offering a hand to her. _

_ "What?"_

_ "Let's make an event now." _

_ "How are we going to do that?" She laughed, joining hands with him and allowing him to pull her up. _

_"You'll see. Go grab a jacket." Darien snatched up his usual green jacket that was draped on the sofa. _

_ Serena excitedly stumbled to her room, grabbing a pink jacket before joining Darien. She didn't know where they were going, but she was happy to be going somewhere._

_ Darien grabbed his car keys and out the door they went. _

_ Soon they arrived to their destination, though Serena still wasn't sure where they were at. _

_ "Close your eyes."_

_ Serena obeyed and Darien stepped out of the car before helping her out. He guided her on a path, her feet clumsily tripping a few times._

_ "Where are we going?"_

_ "It's a surprise." _

_ She could feel him smile. "This better be good or else."_

_ Darien laughed. "It is, don't worry, meatball head. Now open your eyes."_

_ She inhaled at the magnificent sight before her. Wow… It was beautiful. Everywhere she looked, there were roses, deep red roses. She felt enchanted. This was the perfect spot to be with her perfect boyfriend. "Oh Darien, they're beautiful." She reached out a hand, tapping the soft petals of a rose._

_ "And look over there." Darien pulled her along the path, squeezing her hand reassuringly. _

_ She squealed with delight upon spotting the orange sunset. "This is breathtaking." _

_ "And so are you." Darien whispered, capturing her lips between his lips, taking her breath away._

_ At this instance, she knew what she was going to write about. She loved the rose garden and she loved the sunset, but most importantly, she loved being with her boyfriend. She knew she was so lucky to have him and this moment reinforced that thought. Being here with him, in his arms, kissing him, felt so right. He saved her from despair, from hopelessness. He was there for her when she couldn't remember. He made this event meaningful. This was a moment to remember. _

That was her title. _A Moment to Remember. _She glared at the title. This was a clue, a clue that might be able to help her solve her problem, her 'accident'. She made a mental note to read it later after school.

A crinkled paper landed on her desk, causing Serena to glance around her suspiciously, but no one looked in her direction. She unfolded the paper and read the scrawled words.

_Are you okay? Your cheeks have been a pink rosy hue for more than ten minutes! –Mina ;)_

Serena blushed, folding the paper back up and sinking further in her seat. She was going to figure out what the problem was. Yep! Right after school.

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><p>AN: Thanks for reading! Please review! :) This will be the last time I will be updating for a while. I'm going back to college so I will see if I have time to fit any writing in. :\ Anyways, thanks again!


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: HELLLLOOOO! It's been 2 weeks? I think? :) Right now, I am back home for the weekend, super exhausted from school. I've got a minor headache since one of my room mates was making too much noise last night! Anyways, I managed to write up a super long chapter and it's a little sloppy? I haven't proofread it, but I'll proofread later. So sorry if there are any mistakes! I wanted to upload ASAP. :D And I'd like to **thank** all my **reviewers** for being here, supporting me with their wonderful thoughts. :) I hope you guys dig this chapter. :D This chapter is dedicated to my amazing reviewers!

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><p>The room was silent except for the occasional tick… tock… tick… tock.<p>

Serena drummed her slender fingers on her desk, impatiently watching the clock's hands barely move an inch. Almost. _Almost_! Almost 3 o'clock!

Brrrrrringgg!

Students carelessly threw on their backpacks, fleeing from their seats as if the seats were the plague, ready to swallow them within their misery.

"All right guys, see you tomorrow! Don't forget to do reading pages 78 to 90." Ms. Haruna's words just floated through the air like the buzzing of a bee. Bees were so easily dismissed as nothing of importance.

Serena was the last out of the classroom, saying a polite goodbye to her teacher.

"Hey Serena! Did you wanna go back to the temple with me?" Raye joined Serena, along with Mina, Amy, and Lita.

"No, it's all right."

"Okay. Cause I really gotta help out my grandpa. I'll see you guys tomorrow then!"

"I have cram school. Sorry guys, but I'll see you tomorrow too."

"I'm taking a cooking class so I gotta be going. See ya."

"I have volleyball practice today. Sorry!"

One by one, the girls departed and Serena was left alone. She heaved a sigh. She didn't have to worry about making excuses not to hang out with them today. She needed some time to sort out her life. Maybe… she would head to the Crown Arcade. The arcade always made her feel better. Games and food! What else was better than that?

Her feet automatically brought her to the arcade and the sliding doors opened.

"Hey Serena!" Andrew greeted, hiding his shock. He was happy to see her back and roaming. But earlier, he received a call from Darien, who was nearly on the verge of going crazy since Serena was kidnapped by her friends. He wondered what exactly was going on, but he'd rather not get too involved, even though he cared a lot about his friends. He didn't want to risk losing any of their friendships.

"Hey Andrew! Chocolate milkshake, please!" Serena plopped herself on a stool, dumping her schoolbag on the floor.

"Coming right up!" Andrew began to work on her milkshake, before slyly slipping, "How was your day?"

"Eh… it was okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah. I went to class and surprisingly, I didn't get detention from Ms. Haruna today."

"Good for you!"

"Yeah…"

Darien, by coincidence, decided to head to the arcade and the moment he stepped through the door, he nearly had a heart-attack. There she was! Lovely as ever. Sitting on the stool. Talking to Andrew.

But what if… they told her the truth? Would she hate him? He debated whether he should make his presence known of if he should just slither out the door.

However, he had no choice when Andrew's cheery voice called out his name.

"Hey Darien!"

Darien wished he could just disappear into thin air. Or be swallowed up by the ground. Damn it! He was screwed.

Serena quickly hopped off her seat, unthinkingly charging at Darien. Her arms wrapped around his torso and before she knew what she was doing, she blurted out, "I missed you."

"He-ey," Darien managed to breathe out. Okay. What was going on? He confusedly embraced her back. "I missed you too,"choked Darien. So many thoughts were running through his mind! He couldn't... didn't understand. Didn't her friends tell her the truth?

"Didja wanna share my milkshake?" Serena released Darien, sitting back onto her stool. She wondered why she had acted upon her impulse. She even wondered why she had felt so strongly towards him. It couldn't possibly be _true_. Raye was lying. She couldn't believe her friends. Not with the way she felt towards him. She was so drawn and absorbed with him.

All he could do was nod mutely while staring into her deep cerulean eyes. What was going on through her head? Damn it! He was a doctor, not a mind reader.

"How are you?" Serena smiled brightly as Darien sat on the stool next to hers.

"I'm good." Darien smiled uneasily. "You?"

The question really caught her off guard. She never really thought about how she felt. Confused? Lost? Definitely those two, and slightly agitated from her memory loss. "I'm great," she lied, unusually smoothly. "I got 100 percents on my papers!" She grabbed her nearly forgotten school bag and snatched out her papers, shoving them in Darien's hands.

"Good job!" Darien glanced at the papers appreciatively, though his mind was far from the papers in his hands. What would happen if she found out the truth? Each day, he felt his resolve getting weaker and weaker. He couldn't keep this façade up. It made him worry so much that it was almost eating him alive. He... had to tell her. But he couldn't just yet. He wanted her to stay with him, be with him forever, until the days passed away and both of them would be wrinkly from age and barely able to move their muscles. But he couldn't lie to her anymore... His guilt was too much to bear. He unconsciously handed her papers back and inhaled sharply. "Serena... I need to tell yo-"

"Here's your milkshake!" Andrew slid the milkshake in front of them.

"Can I have an extra straw?" Serena asked sweetly, her smile brilliantly shining.

"Of course!" Andrew gave her another straw and left the couple to serve other customers.

"What did you need to tell me?" Her smile was so beautiful and infectious. Her white teeth glimmered stunningly.

"I... meant to tell you... that I... "

"Yes?" Her smile. Her innocent, loving smile.

"That I want to take you out... as a congratulation for your grades." He couldn't say it.

"You don't have to be nervous to ask me out to dinner, silly!" Serena giggled, shaking off the feeling that there was something more important behind those words. "Who am I to reject yummy food with my boyfriend!" She poked her straw into the milkshake and began to slurp half the milkshake within seconds. "Hey! I thought we were sharing this milkshake?"

Darien couldn't resist smiling and sipped some of the milkshake, as to not displease his girlfriend. "So... dinner tonight?"

"Hm... I don't think I have too much homework. I think I'll start some now." Her bag was thrown on the counter and she pulled out some papers. "Lemme do some math homework!"

"Okay. I'll be here if you need help."

He watched her intently for what it felt like hours. Her little pink tongue would dart out of her mouth when she was deep in concentration. Every once in a while, she'd nibble on her lower lip and sigh before continuing on with her homework. He'd never seen her work so hard. He felt proud that he was the one able to help her change, become more mature. He knew that before, she'd barely finished her homework, didn't even care to study, and played arcade games majority of her free time. He helped her. Yet, he lied to her. He wanted so badly to tell her, to relieve his guilt and love her wholly and freely, without any barriers between them.

"Mkay! I think I'm going to head home first okay? I need to change out of my uniform." Serena slid off her seat, her bag in her hand. She stepped up to Darien and kissed his lips softly, catching him by surprise. "What time are you picking me up?"

"Does 5 sound good?" Darien actually didn't know where she lived! How was he going to pick her up? Quickly, he conjured up the most possible solution. "I'll walk you home."

"No, it's okay. I wouldn't want to bother-"

"But I really want to walk you home."

"Thanks." There, she went smiling again.

Serena took him by his hand and led him out the door, but not before leaving some change on the counter and waving a goodbye to Andrew.

The moment she stepped out the door, she felt a migraine coming on. An intense pain shot through her and her hand released Darien's hand, that was still tightly gripping onto her now limp hand. She almost fell over, but he pulled her closely, saving her from hitting the ground. It hurt so fiercely that her vision began to spin.

"Darien." she groaned feebly, her eyes taking one last glimpse of his beautifully, mysterious cobalt eyes before she fainted.

"Serena!" Darien yelled, gently shaking the young girl in his arms. He nearly cried out in anguish as his heart dropped a million feet. He needed to call an ambulance. Anything! He hoisted her up, hurrying back into the arcade.

"What's-" Andrew stopped midway when he spotted Serena lifeless form in Darien's arm.

"Call the ambulance! She fainted!" Darien rambled frantically, placing Serena down on a stool. He caressed her pale face and kissed her forehead. "You'll be okay, Serena. I'll make sure of it."

_She was so disappointed in her grade. A thirty percent! How could she show her mama that thing? She furiously crumpled the test into a ball, throwing it behind her in the air.  
><em>

_"Hey, watch it, meatball head!"_

_"Huh?" She cringed as her sweat dropped. "Oh sorry!" She spun around to face a handsome stranger with dark sunglasses covering his eyes. His raven black hair just nearly reached his eyes, brushing his eyebrows, and in his hands, he held her horrid test, which he managed to unfold it from its crinkled state.  
><em>

"_A thirty?" The guy questioned with disbelief and then added sarcastically, "Admirable."_

_"Nooo!_" _She yelped, reaching a hand out for her test._

_"Are you stupid or just, incredibly lazy?_"

_"Hmph! How dare you!_" _Serena screeched angrily! The nerve of that guy! "Give me that!" She yanked HER paper out of his hands and stormed away, steaming smoking from her head. What a total jerk calling her a meatball head! She took one glance back, observing him thoughtfully. Still, he was kinda cute... for a jerk. What kind of a name was meatball head! Ugh! Jerk!_

_All of a sudden, she was chowing down on doughnuts! They were delicious! She could keep eating them forever!_

_"Meatball head."_

_Huh? It was him again! Dressed in a tuxedo and wearing that same pair of sunglasses over his eyes. He looked really cute... if only his words were just as cute.  
><em>

_"Maybe I should be calling you doughnut head. You're really chowing down."_

_Ugh! THAT JERK! She could feel her anger flowing through her veins. How could she even say that he looked cute! He looked like a devil! An evil devil from hell! She inhaled, trying to maintain her classiness. She wasn't going to let him get to her. She would NEVER swoop down to his level.  
><em>

_"Tease me all you like, but you can't ruin the taste of this doughnut!"_

_"You are so selfish. The least you could do is offer me one." He smirked mockingly.  
><em>

_That was the last straw! That jerk! "Gladly!" She angrily threw a doughnut at him, hoping it would smack him right in his arrogant face!_

_However, his reflexes were impeccable and he caught the doughnut in his hand. "Thanks doughnut head." He chomped down on the doughnut and turned away. "You know that wasn't much of a throw. You should start working out." He spoke in his velvety, handsome voice. _

_Grr! What a big FAT JERK! One day she would beat him good and it wouldn't just be with a doughnut! Why did the jerk have to be so hot?  
><em>

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

"You scared me."

Him! Darien was in her dreams. "Hey," she struggled to sit up and Darien assisted her.

"I thought something terrible happened to you." Darien hugged her tightly, burying his face into her silky hair.

Serena remained as she was, not returning his hug nor pulling away. She didn't know what to think of her dream? Was it just her imagination? Or was that real? It didn't make any sense! He was her boyfriend so why would he insult her like that? But her nickname 'meatball head' was so familiar. Darien always loved to call her meatball head. Why didn't it make any sense?

"How are you feeling?" Darien frowned, sensing some change in her behavior. Suddenly, she seemed so distant. It did remind him of a few days ago when she hid away from him. What if... she actually remembered?

He told himself that it was not possible. He shouldn't even think that it was possible. He knew that he was telling himself this as some sort of optimistic inkling, to deny the fact that she might actually remember. He knew it all right. It just made him feel better to think that she would never leave him.

"All right?" she murmured. She glanced around the room, finding it similar to the hospital room that she was residing in before. Residing before? She finally understood that she was in an accident, that her friends were telling the truth about the accident, and that somewhere there was a loophole that she didn't figure out yet. She just wasn't sure who to trust and she began to distrust Darien. As much as he showed he cared by taking care of her... something... wasn't right.

Her friends were telling the truth and they were saying that Darien wasn't her boyfriend. So what if... she said something to him? About it?

She bit her tongue. But... she felt so connected to Darien that she didn't want to risk losing him. Nah, maybe it was better to not say anything to him.

"What are you thinking about?" Darien asked. It was not only his job as a doctor to know but as a loving boyfriend. _More like lying jerk_ a voice quipped in his head irritably.

"Nothing," she said all too quickly, plastering on a smile.

"Did you... have any dreams?" Darien questioned further. He could read it in her eyes that she had seen something and he hoped that she trusted him to tell him, though he was not worthy of her trust at all. "It's my duty as a doctor to record your progress," he added hastily, that way she would have to give him an honest response. God, he was using such a cheap trick!

Doctor. He was her doctor? "Was I in an accident?" she blurted out.

He frowned. It seemed like she had forgotten some things again. "Tell me what you remember about yourself."

"Was I though?" she persisted, like a child that wouldn't stop begging her parents for a toy that caught her eye.

"Yes."

So he was telling the truth too? It didn't make any sense at all! "Well... I'm a sophomore. My family went to the United States and should be back soon."

"And?"

"My best friends are Raye, Lita, Amy, and Mina. We like to go to the arcade a lot."

"What do you last remember?"

"Uh... I'm not sure really."

Darien wanted to ask her if she remembered him. "Okay."

"I think... I'm not sure... but..."

"Yes?"

"It doesn't make sense!" she finally snapped. It didn't make sense! Who was telling the truth?

"What doesn't?"

She regretted her words instantly, cowering away from him slightly. She didn't want to lose their relationship. "My dream," she answered half-truthfully. "I had a dream about you."

About him? Those words struck him like a lighting bolt. She. Remembered. Miraculously.

"Yes?" he rasped hoarsely.

"That you were a stranger... and I threw my test and it hit you on the head. Then, you insulted me because of my grade."

Darien's breath hitched. His heart beat erratically, pounding against his chest. She remembered...

"After that, you made fun of me because I was eating some really yummy doughnuts."

"Oh," Darien breathed absentmindedly. She was remembering. He couldn't believe it.

"And it didn't really make sense because you're my boyfriend. You'd never do such thing."

Darien stared at her, unable to respond. He felt... indescribably jerk-ish.

She stopped talking, scrutinizing his expression. His face was contorted into a frown, his dark eyes narrowed in deep concentration. He seemed unsure of something. It made her think... was he lying? But she couldn't make assumptions. She was going to figure the facts out first before accusing thoughtlessly. "May I go home now?"

Darien was so screwed. He could lose her forever... He could even be fired for lying to his patient. He could also be fired for having some kind of relationship with his patient. There were so many risks that he was taking, but he felt that she was worth all the risks in the world.

"Darien?"

"Yeah... it seems like you're experiencing some alternated visions of the past. You'll probably be getting more of these minor attacks so I suggest that you rest at home a few days." He was such a liar.

"Okay."

"Did you want to stay at my apartment? Just so I can keep a close eye on you in case anything happens?"

"No, it's okay. I wanna go home."

"All right. Let me walk you home at least."

"No really... I'm sure you have to work and stuff." She just wanted time to think and that meant, being away from Darien.

"I insist."

She reluctantly caved in, allowing Darien to walk her home. Something was just so wrong here. But what exactly was it?

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><p>AN: Sooo what do you think will happen now? Darien is digging himself into a deeper hole and Serena is remembering, though she still doesn't know she is remembering the past. :P Please review! I'd love to listen to your thoughts. :)


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Hey! How is everyone? I finished 2 midterms this week and I am relieved! I managed to write this chapter although it is pretty short. :\ oh well. Uhm, and I definitely owe many many thanks to all my reviewers, story alerters/favoriters, and author alerters/favoriters. :D You guys are the reason why I am still posting chapters! ;D Enjoy this chapter!

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><p>Serena scratched her head and looked at her paper for what seemed like the hundredth time. On the paper she listed out all the possible reasons who to believe… There just seemed to be no concrete facts about who to believe. Her best friends? Or her boyfriend? Well, they both had agreed upon that she was in an accident. However, it was possible that Raye was jealous that Darien was her boyfriend. Either that, or Darien was lying to her. Maybe it had to do with the dreams she just had? Darien was so mean... Yet, he wasn't mean at all in reality. He was so loving and caring. He walked her home and made sure she was comfortable before leaving.<p>

He had left nearly an hour ago because she claimed that she had too much studying to do. As if she was going to study with all these thoughts in her mind… Why couldn't she remember?

She groaned, flopping back onto her bed. "Life… you suck," she grunted. Why was life so complicated?

If she could only figure out what was the truth…. She had even read her English paper and that confirmed that Darien was her boyfriend. Right? She had written that paper. She knew she did.

She glanced at her calendar on the wall and suddenly it hit her. What had she been doing these past few weeks?

She didn't know.

And… her family was coming home… tomorrow? How was she going to explain this to them?

She inhaled deeply, calming her frantic nerves. She would get to the bottom of this… and whoever was messing with her would get a piece of her mind.

She finally dozed off but without peace.

_"Seriously, meatball head, you don't have a chance."_

_ "I do too!" Serena growled furiously. _

_ "You're nothing compared to Andrew's girlfriend." _

_ "Girlfriend?" She felt as if her heart was rolled over by a truck. He called her nothing… _

_ "Yeah. And she eats her food like a lady, unlike you."_

_ "You—you, jerk!"_

_ "You should learn to not inhale your food but to chew," Darien chided mockingly. "You could almost be passed off for a pig."_

_ "You should learn to not be such a jerk and consider other people's feelings! You're an insensitive jerk! A big fat, stupid, mean jerk! No wonder why you don't have a girlfriend!" Serena ran out of the arcade, tears streaming down her cheeks like raindrops. She cried for herself, how she was so unwanted, unworthy of having a down-to-earth boyfriend. She cried for the spiteful words Darien told her, how each word stung and pierced through her like needles. And most of all, she cried for Darien, how he was too blind to see that she had feelings for him rather than Andrew. Pretending to have a girly crush on Andrew was merely a façade, to hide from Darien that he was the one she wanted._

_ Why she wanted him? She honestly didn't know. He was angry, mean, bitter. He teased her relentlessly. Yet… he was the only one that focused on her alone. He would barely talk to her friends, with a curt nod and stiff hello. But with her, he was different. He became animated, his usual cold features glimmering and a hint of a smile just barely casting over his lips. He laughed, even if it was because he teased her. His eyes shined with mirth as they landed on her. He was focused on her only._

_ His words hurt, though. He proved that he would never see her as anything more than a stupid, klutzy meatball head. That's why he called her a meatball head. Because she was one—one stupid meatball-headed girl, lacking the grace of a lady. Who could even love her? What was there to love? Failing grades? Eating like a slob? Tripping over her own feet? Sleeping in class? Spacing out like a space cadet? The list went on and on._

_ She sobbed as she tripped over herself, scraping her knees against the gravel. She felt the cold ground splice her skin on her palms and knees before she fell flat._

_ She just lay there on the gravel, unmoving and crying. She was such a crybaby, too! _

_ She felt numb as she dropped her head to the cold ground. Why did she like him?_

_ As a shadow hovered over her, she held a speck of hope. She hoped it was Darien, coming to make amends. Her heart leaped, and she stifled her sniffling._

_ "Are you okay?" _

_ It wasn't him. That stung… _

_ "Serena?" Andrew's soft voice reached her ears._

_ She wished that she was part of the ground so he couldn't see her crying. "Yeah," she murmured through her cracked voice. Ick! Her voice sounded terrible!_

_ Andrew hoisted her up without giving her a chance to protest. "Oh, Serena," Andrew whispered upon spotting her tears. "He's gone too far this time," he muttered quietly to himself. "I'm sorry. Darien doesn't mean his harsh words." He crushed Serena to his chest in a hug._

_ The more attention Andrew gave her, the more she felt like crying harder. Of course Darien had to mean his words! He said the words. He surely must've meant the words._

She woke up with tears on her face. Was that the true Darien? Why did she have dreams about him? There was Andrew too… Andrew? He had to have the solution! She would be paying a visit to Andrew today. She would… right after she cleaned off her tears.

"Serena, sweetie!"

Huh? Her mom was home? She rushed to the bathroom, sloshing water onto her face before running down the stairs to greet her family.

"Hey honey!" her dad greeted, enveloping her into a hug. "We've missed you."

"As if! We were having a great time in the United States without her," Sammy, her younger brother, commented with a grin.

"Sammy!" their mother gave him a don't-you-start-trouble glare that spoke volumes. "We've just made it home so we don't want to hear you two fighting."

"Sorry mama." Sammy ran his hand through his short brown hair while bowing his head.

"Yeah, I missed you too brat." Serena poked her tongue out at him before playfully tousling his hair.

"Hey!" Sammy huffed, swatting her hands away.

"Serena, we've bought you some things." Her mother handed her a huge bag filled with goodies, which Serena accepted happily. She leaned a bit further and whispered quietly, "I also bought you some really cute dresses! But make sure your papa doesn't see them. He thought they were too short."

Serena laughed at her mother's antics. "Thanks mama and papa!" She hugged both of her parents. She really missed them.

"So, how have you been, sweetheart?" her dad asked with a smile.

"Yeah, how's school?" her mother asked, sending another glare at Sammy, who— if not receiving the glare—would have made fun of Serena.

Serena smiled nervously. How was she going to explain it to them? "I uh… doing pretty well in school! I got 100 percents on my papers!"

"That's wonderful honey! We have to treat you out for getting such good grades!"

Sammy's jaw dropped. Serena… getting 100s? Something was wrong here! "Serena must have cheated. There's no way she could get 100 percents!"

"Sammy! Go to your room!" their mother snapped, pointing to the stairs.

Sammy harrumphed and complied, leaving the room without regret.

"Don't listen to your brother, Serena. We are so proud of you."

"There's something… I need to tell you guys." Serena blurted out, wringing her hands behind her back.

"What?" Her parents' faces dropped.

"I've… been in an accident."

A shadow flitted over their faces as they leaned closer to inspect her.

She cowered away. "It kinda—it happened like this…"

It all went downhill from there.

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><p>AN: Anddd the plot thickens! Haha. :D What do you guys think will happen? Will Serena mention her boyfriend to her parents? Or would she cover it up? How will her parents react? Thoughts? :D Thanks for reading! And please review. :D


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Heya! I just couldn't wait to upload a new chapter, especially since my last chapter was shorter than ever. And I am really happy from all the reviews I received! :D I'd like to thank GinaPotter0183, xSapphirexRosesxFanx, nickybluejess,kimi. the. water. spirit, and SRG STAR16 for reviewing last chapter! And I'd also like to thank all my previous reviewers! This chapter is for you guys. ;D I know it's probably the chapter you have been waiting for! Hehe. :P

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><p>So she had told them about how she was hit and how she didn't remember everything. But, she left out the tiny little detail that Darien was her boyfriend. Even then, she couldn't fully explain everything. She didn't remember it.<p>

She could hear her parents arguing in their room.

"I knew it was a bad idea to leave her at home."

"I know, honey."

"One accident and it nearly cost her life! My sweet baby." Her mom sounded on the verge of tears.

"We have to go to the hospital right away and get information on this. Maybe she will be able to remember some things. She seems to remember us at least."

"Yeah... next time..."

"Of course... we..."

Sammy poked his head into Serena's room with an unusually timid smile.

"Hey, sis. Are you... are you all right?" He seemed afraid, if not worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Sammy." She smiled reassuringly.

"Did it... hurt?" He carefully stepped into her room, twisting his hands in front of him.

"I don't really remember."

"Oh..."

"Sometimes, I just wish I could remember. I feel as if I'm missing out on something really important."

"It'll be all right, sis." Her brother was uncharacteristically sweet for the moment.

Serena glanced at the plush floor, staring intently at her pink carpeting. It couldn't hurt to ask him about Darien... right? "Can I ask you something?"

"Ya?"

"Promise you won't tell mama or papa?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Did I ever have a boyfriend? You know... before the accident?"

"Huh? Boyfriend? Unless you've been hiding one?"

Serena frowned. She did not like where this was going. Not at all. "Okay... Did I ever speak of a guy named Darien?"

"Darien?" Sammy paused to ponder. "That one guy that made you angry?"

"Angry?"

"Yeah! You would always come home complaining about that jerk who created the name meatball head for you." Sammy suddenly grinned. "I'd say he is quite the genius. You really are a meatball head."

"SAMMY!" Serena wailed and tried to whack him. Sammy dodged and quickly darted out of her room, laughing on top of his lungs.

"MEATBALL HEAD!" his voice echoed throughout the house.

Serena rolled her eyes. So much for Sammy being sweet... What a brat.

As his words began to sink into her head, she sat down mechanically on her bed. Well... it seemed like her problem was solved. The missing puzzle pieces finally were found and put into place. It all just clicked. She was disturbed, unsure what to think. First... her best friends were telling the truth. Second, she felt awfully terrible for not believing in her best friends. What kind of a friend was she to even doubt them? Third, Darien. He was one difficult subject to cover. Why did he lie? Was he just pretending to be sweet to backfire on her? He was such a jerk! He even lied to her about her dreams. Her dreams were actually reality, the missing pieces of the past. She felt like such a lame, stupid idiot. He was playing her all along and she actually fell for it. She couldn't believe she actually trusted him. He probably strung her along just for pity... or maybe, to make fun of her at the end.

But it didn't seem right. He seemed so genuine and caring.

But not at all! He lied to her. He betrayed her. He brought up her hopes, and maybe he was determined to crush her once and for all. What did she ever do to him to deserve such harsh treatment?

Maybe Darien had figured out that she had a crush on him? So that's why he did it! Out of pity and to laugh at her stupidity. After all, she was _NOTHING_. A stupid girl with stupid dreams. A stupid dreamer with stupid hopes. A stupid meatball head.

She felt like crying but the tears couldn't form. She couldn't breathe nor could she move. She sat there like a statue, unfeeling and frozen.

And she unexpectedly felt angry. She wanted to yell and kick him, punch him if she could. She was furious that she was used like that. She was entirely livid. He stole her first kiss and they made out! He touched her and tainted her lips! And he wasn't even her real boyfriend! Just a stupid phony boyfriend! Did he think he could string her along and use her body like that? Did he not even respect her? Even if she wasn't pretty or ladylike, she deserved respect! Damn right! That jerk!

Deep down, she felt more depressed than ever. He was the guy she truly cared about and he turned out to be a liar and a user. She didn't know what to think. But all she knew was that she felt incredibly stupid. Yup, 'cause she was a stupid girl with a stupid crush.

Yet... she missed him. She wanted him more than ever, to hold her tightly and kiss her sweetly. She couldn't possibly lose him... But it wasn't as if she had him in the first place. He wasn't even her boyfriend.

But she couldn't fight the fact that she wanted him here. She wished he really did care and would love her, not pity her or make a laughingstock out of her.

She really dreaded the next time she would see him. How would she react? She didn't want to cry in front of him. She wanted to be composed and strong. She would prove to him that she was mature and she would show him that she would not take his bullshit. If... she ever saw him again. Because she really didn't want to have to see him or confront him.

It seemed that fate was always bringing them together and she knew that seeing him again would be inevitable. She really dreaded it...

"Serena, honey, we're going to the hospital to pick up your information." her mother called, bringing her out of her depressed state. "We want you to stay here and watch out for Sammy."

"Okay," Serena called back, surprising herself by her calm voice. And she thought she would be bursting into tears... Well, she would save the waterworks for later. She knew sooner or later she would have to let it loose. For now, everything was kept in check, but who knew how long she could suppress the pain.

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><p>AN: Oh no! Poor Serena! :( Stay tuned for when Darien gets confronted! Woot! And please review! I'll try to update ASAP, maybe in a week? Have another midterm this week soo I think I should be studying. x)


	15. Chapter 15

"Look, sweetie, we don't want you going to the arcade after school anymore."

Serena, to their surprise, agreed. Avoiding the arcade would mean avoiding Darien and that would mean no confrontation. Boy, wasn't she smart? "I won't."

Her parents shared a look that she didn't miss. Of course they would be suspicious of her.

"I will be driving you to school from now on," said her dad.

"Okay, papa."

"We've also spoke with Melvin's parents and asked them if Melvin could escort you home after school."

"WHAT?" Her calm resolve finally broke through. She had to be stuck with Melvin? The creep!

"Sorry honey, but we don't want to risk any accidents happening again."

"Please don't make me walk home with him." Serena begged. "Can't the girls walk me home instead?"

Her parents shared another look, one that meant no good.

Seriously! It wasn't even that big of a deal. As if she would get into another accident again.

"Serena, could you please agree with us on this? We're really worried about your safety."

"But mama! I don't want to be seen with that dorky guy! I can take care of myself! I'm in high school."

"And risk getting yourself injured again? I don't think so, young lady." Her dad became scolding, his eyes narrowed. "Now, he's a nice, young man-"

"But I already agreed not to go to the arcade, isn't that enough? I promise I'll head straight home after school. The girls will watch out for me too!"

"Serena, your dad and I think that those girls won't protect you. When you girls hang together, we know you'll forget your surroundings."

"You guys are being unreasonable!" Serena cried and ran upstairs, slamming her bedroom door shut. Now not only the problem with Darien was bugging her but her parents' demands as well. Why did she have to walk home with Melvin!

Basically, Melvin was some dorky guy in her class who got straight A's and always complained when he missed one or two points off a test and he still had the highest test score, besides Amy. And when Melvin talked… everything was gossipy and extremely weird! He was a know-it-all and blabbed everything. Ugh! Just thinking about walking home with him annoyed her.

"Serena, we really care about you," her mom spoke from behind her shut door.

Yeah, she knew her parents really cared and loved her… But walking with Melvin? Blech!

"Please just try it for a week and we'll think about it okay?"

Serena huffed and stuffed a pillow in her face. God, life sucked! Argh! She began to pace around her room and glanced out the window to see something—or more like someone—completely unexpected. With an 'eep!' she dove below the window, out of view. What was that person doing here! And what was she going to do!

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><p>Darien debated if he should drop on by Serena's house today and maybe take her a surprise date. He was really worried about yesterday when she began to remember. It was impossible! Or nearly improbable. However, he somehow had to persuade her that he was telling the truth. Seriously, he was such an ass. But he loved her…<p>

He was just a few houses down from Serena's house when he spotted a red car parked on her driveway. Well, that was strange. Should he knock on her door when she had company over?

He approached her doorsteps and stood outside the door, raising his hand to knock, but he slowly put his hand down. He couldn't decide if he should actually knock or not. What if her friends were over? What if relatives were over? What if… her family came back? And her dad would come outside with his shotgun and kill him?

Darien took a step back, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"But mama! I don't want to be seen with that dorky guy! I can take care of myself! I'm in high school."

Serena's shrill voice reached his ears and he listened carefully. So her parents were home? Fuck! How was he going to date her then? Especially, her dad would happily take out his shotgun. Her dad also would be more than happy to shoot him for lying to Serena, his most precious daughter. His chances of dating her were so slim…

He took another step back.

"And risk getting yourself injured again? I don't think so, young lady." Yep that was definitely her dad. "Now, he's a nice, young man-"

"But I already agreed not to go to the arcade, isn't that enough? I promise I'll head straight home after school. The girls will watch out for me too!"

She was not going to go to the arcade anymore? How was he going to see her then? Wait by her school until she got out of class? Damn it… He really needed to talk to her. He needed to see her, touch her, and hold her. He missed her so much.

The next thing Darien heard Serena shout was, "You guys are being unreasonable!"

He sighed and walked back to the sidewalk in front of her house. He stared at the upstairs front window, which was her room, hoping to get one glimpse of her. He guessed it was a little creepy of him to be doing that. But did he just see a flash of gold hair?

He waited to see if she actually noticed him. Would she wave back? And climb out the window? He laughed at the ridiculous idea that was such a cliché from those romantic, sappy movies. She probably would never notice him and of course, he didn't want her father noticing a 'strange man' staring at her window. He'd surely be a dead man.

He began to walk away and decided he would wait until Monday to hunt her down right after school. But then again… she was going to be escorted back home by some guy, which did not sit well with him at all. Yet, Serena called the 'guy' "dorky", so maybe he would scare the kid away with his masculinity. (a/n: lol Darien is so full of himself. XD)

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><p>Serena didn't know how long she hid below the window but her heart was sure beating fast. She hoped, even prayed, that he didn't see her from below. She was not ready to face him yet.<p>

"Please, please, please, please don't let him see me," she begged so quietly, it seemed that she thought Darien would hear her through her walls.

Her curiosity got to the best of her and she really wanted to see if he was still there. Or was it her imagination? She wasn't that paranoid… She slowly extended her body upward just enough to look out the window.

He was gone… Or was he there in the first place? Was she that paranoid? She let out the breath that she had been holding. She searched down the street in case she would spot his figure but there was no one. Weird. She could have sworn she saw him though.

She stood up and flopped onto her bed with a sigh. She was so upset… Stupid Darien. If he did visit, she was somewhat happy that he spent some time to see her. But then, she was mad that he would even dare to show his face after all he put her through. That jerk! What he did was unforgivable! She never wanted to see him again!

She really, really dreaded Monday… No arcade, no friend time, no Darien… What! As if she cared if she saw Darien! He could just fall off the face of the earth for all she cared. She didn't care at all! That's why, right now, she would not even think of him at all. He deserved not a single one of her thoughts.

And she had to walk home with Melvin, the school's ultimate dweeb…. And Darien. Why couldn't she just stop thinking about him? Why couldn't she just turn off her feelings and thoughts for just one day?

Yet… she missed him. She hated that she did. She hated him for making her feel this way, for ruining her completely. She hated him!

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><p><strong>AN:** Wheeee! So I switched up the beginning this time by not starting off with an author's note. XD I think one author's note per chapter is more than enough. So, thank you guys for the wonderful reviews and feedback. You guys rock! :D I think this story is almost reaching 150 reviews! I am excited! :P Also, I bet this chapter was not quite the expected one where Darien would meet Serena, but that will come soon. ;) Dunno when the next update will be, but maybe soon? I am catching a cold so I think I might feel too sickly to write a new chapter this coming week. :'( I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter (where Darien was such a creeper lol!) So with that said, I am out. :P And please review if you have time. :)


	16. Chapter 16

Serena groaned under her breath for the millionth time, wishing she could just tune him out.

Melvin glanced at Serena behind his thick-framed glasses, mistaking her groan as a groan of understanding. "I know, Serena! I was just one point away from getting one-hundred percent on the math test."

There was no empathy between them at all. Not. One. Bit. "I'm sure you're still one of the top students," Serena replied back without care. Not that she wanted to be mean or anything, but could he stop talking about grades? She wasn't the perfect student, nor did she care that much, but did he just have to shove his better grades in her face all the time? Even then, she wasn't listening to half of his conversation… Darien was on her mind. His name just popped up every few seconds as if he were mocking her, laughing at her stupidity. Ha, ha, she fell for his stupid lies. Why was she such an idiot?

"So I've heard—" And Melvin continued on with the school's most recent gossip.

Serena suddenly spotted a familiar patch of black hair standing right outside of her school's gate. She abruptly grabbed Melvin, causing him to let out a nasally yelp of surprise, and flung both of them into a nearby bush.

"Ow! What was th—"

Serena slapped her hand over his mouth. "Sh!" She peered through the visible holes between the leaves and branches at the man standing just a bit further. He seemed to have glanced in their direction, but she couldn't tell because of his sunglasses.

"Mmmfph mhmm," Melvin whined through her hand.

"Be quiet or else I'll make you be quiet!" Serena growled threateningly, which managed to shut Melvin up for once, surprisingly. What was Darien doing here! She couldn't be seen by him at all. She couldn't face him, not after all they've been through.

Now she had to figure out a way to escape without him noticing her. She faintly heard Melvin shuffle before making gurgling noises again. She glared at him but realized she was stopping him from breathing when he weakly pointed at his throat. She softened her gaze and released him, mumbling a quick "sorry."

"Are you avoiding that guy?" Melvin pushed up his glasses on his nose bridge before scratching his brown hair.

"No! What made you think that?" Serena giggled obnoxiously. If Melvin knew, then the whole entire school would know about her personal life.

"Well… for one, we're hiding in the bushes. Two, you were looking his direction—"

"Jeez Melvin. I just wanted to become a secret agent. I'm practicing my stealth!" Serena whispered, not removing her eyes off of Darien. Boy, he looked so hot with those sunglasses on… Damn it! She hated him! What was wrong with her?

"Oh okay."

"Keep this on the down low, 'kay, Melvin?"

"Will do, secret agent Serena!"

"Not so loud!"

"Sorry."

Serena rolled her eyes. Why did she have to be stuck with Melvin again? Because she got into a stupid accident and stupid Darien was her doctor and he lied to her about being her boyfriend and used her. Man, she felt like such an idiot.

Why wouldn't Darien just leave already? She needed to get home before her mama would get mad at her. Maybe, she could just sneak out… but with Melvin, she was sure her plan would fail. Oh well, it wouldn't hurt to try and if all else fails, she would run for her life.

Suddenly, it hit her. An evil grin slid across her lips. Wasn't she a genius? "Okay Melvin, I have a plan."

"What?"

She laughed mentally at his naivety. "Why don't you distract that guy over there so he doesn't notice me? That way, I can sneak past him and—"

"But how do I distract him?"

"Just pretend you're trying to sell him girl-scout cookies!"

"But I'm not in girl-scouts!"

"Well, whatever. You think of something!"

"Fine… girl scouts…" Melvin grumbled. He squared his shoulders and emerged out of the bushes, looking ridiculously like a little boy who was pretending that he was some buff macho man.

Serena snickered at Melvin as he approached Darien confidently. It was almost time for her to make a run. She'll just pretend to be clueless as she passed by, as if she didn't see Darien at all.

She heard Melvin begin talking to Darien. "Hi good sir. Would you like to purchase some girl-scout coo—"

Serena took the chance to dart out of her spot when Darien focused on Melvin.

"Sorry kid, but I'm looking for—"

"No! You have to buy these cookies!"

"I'm kind of busy."

"So am I sir! You really have to buy the cookies!"

Darien nearly growled in frustration. Wouldn't the boy leave him alone! And why was a boy selling girl-scout cookies? It didn't matter because he really needed to catch Serena and if this boy wasn't going to leave him alone, he didn't know what he was going to do. "Look, I'm not interested in cookies!" Darien shouted irritably.

"But they're so delicious."

"I'll buy them some other time."

"You have to buy them now!"

Darien's eyes twitched. "If I pay you, would that make you leave me alone?"

"Nope."

Darien wanted to choke the boy. "Okay…. Do you know a girl named Serena?"

"I will tell you if you buy a cookie."

Darien pulled out his wallet and took out a crisp bill. "Will this do?"

Melvin's eyes grew large at the amount of money Darien was holding. Now, he started to feel bad for taking the guy's money, but he had to distract the guy for Serena. "Uh…"

Darien handed the money to the boy, who gaped like a fish, his mouth opening and closing. "Now tell me where Serena is."

"She's over there, sir!" Melvin said giddily, his eyes widening at the money in his hand. He pointed at Serena who started running down the street when she noticed Melvin pointing at her. But then he realized his mistake. "Oops!"

"Thanks kid. You owe me cookies too." Darien patted the boy on his head and started his chase after Serena.

"Wait, that's not Serena!" Melvin called feebly, though evidently it was no use.

Serena yelped and ran. Stupid Melvin sold her out! Damn him and damn Darien! How was she going to avoid him now?

* * *

><p>AN: Uh-oh! Will Darien catch up with Serena? Do you think he should catch up with her? Yes, no? Maybe-so? :) And I'd like to thank all my reviewers from last chapter. :) I am really touched by your wonderful words. :D Thanks for reading! Dunno when the next update will be cause I am staying in the dorms next weekend and I got some tough midterms coming up. :( But, anyways, let me know what you think!


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